Happenstance
by Jewels12
Summary: A stroke of luck brings Luke and Lorelai closer together and leads them further away from their significant others.
1. Fairytales Can Come True

Hellooooo! Let me tell you, this story has been a long time coming. It's my very late contribution to the _Support Stacie Auction_ (from two auctions ago). I owe this story to the dear, sweet, and patient **Phishes**. I sincerely hope you'll be pleased with the end result. This story is going to be about 7 or 8 chapters, but I've already got a few in the bank, so you shouldn't have to wait too long for updates. It's loosely based on the movie _It Could Happen To You_ – fabulous, heart-warming movie, if you haven't seen it.

Many thanks to **OJ** for doing research when I didn't feel like it, thanks also to the usual suspects for the countless writing sessions it took to get me to this point, and thanks especially to **Mags**: Team Jewels MVP and Miss Emoticon 2010. Enjoy!

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Stars Hollow isn't just a town, it's a feeling. It's a state of being. It brings out the very best in the people that live there. A person on the outside would marvel at this community of eccentric souls who somehow drifted together. In this town where fairytales take flight, a story of providence and possibility is born….

Miss Patty stood outside her dance studio at a quarter to ten, a familiar cloud of smoke swirling above her head. It wasn't the nicotine she was addicted to, it was the attention. Her cigarette was a symbol of her accomplishments – a means to gloat. It was a clear indication that she had an ace in her pocket. She'd one-upped East Side Tilly, and she wanted the world to know it.

Patty had witnessed something in the diner that morning: a transaction between two of Stars Hollow's most-watched citizens. Normally, their daily routine consisted of a dash of lively banter, with a supersized side of flirting, and a heaping helping of coffee poured with attitude. On this particular day, Lorelai Gilmore's tab was due, and she wasn't one to skip out on her debts. She was, however, quite willing to let things ride until she got caught. Well, today she got caught.

Now, Lorelai was a very vibrant, independent, successful woman. She was rich, but her wealth came in the form of an amazing daughter, a stable career, fabulous friends, and a man that would do absolutely anything for her at the drop of a blue hat. She had a dream of opening her own inn one day, and that dream was on the brink of becoming a reality. The only thing that stood in her way was the mean green – the almighty dollar. Things were tight, and as construction costs mounted, so too did her insecurity.

It wasn't simply money that rested on her tab at Luke's Diner. Her pride, her dignity, and her honour were all at stake, so when Luke broached the subject, she countered with an offer he couldn't refuse. He _wouldn't _refuse, because Luke knew a whole lot more than he would ever let on. People in Stars Hollow talked. He operated a diner that thrived on the provision of grease and gossip. He'd heard rumblings that construction at The Dragonfly Inn was at a standstill, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the reason why.

Earlier that morning, following a particularly demoralizing conversation with her contractor, Tom, Lorelai had trudged away from the inn – _her_ inn – feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders. She did something she hadn't done since she'd been a maid, raising a baby girl on her own, hoping that the powers that be would finally take pity on her. She bought a lottery ticket.

As she stood before Luke, her last chance of survival clutched tightly in her fist and her heart beating as steady as his gaze, she suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of calm. She saw something in his eyes that told her everything was going to be all right. Her grip loosened, and the ticket slipped between her fingers, floating slowly to the counter between them.

"If the ticket wins, I promise you half the winnings."

"And if the ticket loses?" Luke asked dubiously.

Lorelai shrugged. "Then you're no worse off."

He rolled his eyes. "No, I'm just out the money on your tab. No big deal."

"It's not gonna lose, Luke," Lorelai said with conviction. "I'm feeling lucky. You and me, my friend. We're gonna strike it rich."

"Don't hold your breath," he grumbled.

It was all an act – the gruff demeanour, the grim expression. Luke didn't want her to know that he knew about her money troubles, so he kept up the pretence of a disgruntled proprietor collecting his dues.

She smirked, not a bit surprised by his reaction. "Oh," she said in remembrance. "Sign your name on the back. That way I can't run off to Fiji when I win the jackpot," she added with a wink.

He sighed tiredly but did as he was instructed, signing his name right next to hers with the pen from his shirt pocket.

Lorelai held out her hand, waiting expectantly for him to meet her gesture. Neither of them could prevent the smiles that appeared on their faces as they shook hands formally.

"Did that feel official to you?" Lorelai asked him, dropping her eyes and her hand to the countertop. She dismissed the flush on her cheeks and the adrenaline racing through body as excitement about the ticket, nothing more.

"Uh, yeah, very official." Luke nodded distractedly, reaching for the coffee pot and pouring her a tall to-go cup of her favourite beverage.

She beamed in delight. "This one going on the tab?" she asked, playfully batting her eyelashes.

Luke rolled his eyes. "Last one. After this your tab is closed, pending on the results of the draw tonight."

"Deal," Lorelai said with a satisfied smirk, turning on her heel and heading for the door. "Think green," she told him, waving as the bells signalled her exit.

Miss Patty smiled to herself from her table in the corner. Win or lose, this lottery ticket was going to change their lives. She was certain of it.

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Later that night, Lorelai sat in front of the TV with a nearly empty bowl of popcorn in her lap as she mindlessly flipped through the channels. The lottery ticket rested on the couch cushion next to her, and her eyes scanned it curiously.

_6-19-24-29-33-35_

"Six," she pondered aloud, tapping her chin with her index finger. "Six is lucky because I had six cups of coffee today … for breakfast."

She dropped the remote on the table and grabbed the ticket, holding it carefully in the palm of her hand. "Nineteen … I was nineteen when the Bananarama _Wow!_ album was released." Lorelai lit up in a smile, quickly snatching the remote again and using it as a microphone. "Sugar's sweet, but your kisses can't be beat. Whatever you got, it's good enough for meeee." She belted out the lyrics, abandoning the bowl of popcorn between her legs and rising to her feet. "I can't help it! I'm captivated by your honeyyyy!"

The ticket fell to the floor in the heat of her performance, causing her to giggle. "Oops," she muttered, bending down to pick it up while self-consciously glancing around, making sure that she was the only witness to her spontaneous one-woman concert.

Returning the remote to the coffee table and her butt to the couch, she chewed on a handful of popcorn as her mind churned with thoughts on the significance of the number 24. "Mia promoted me to housekeeping manager when I was 24," Lorelai recalled with a proud smile, swallowing back the dissolving kernels in her mouth. "Three down, three to go."

She stared at the number '29,' not at all surprised by how quickly she was struck with an idea. "I turned 29 the year I met Luke." It was spoken in a half-whisper, this statistic that was so clear in her consciousness. "He's such a good guy," she said, unaware that the words had even passed through her lips.

She knew that he knew more than he was letting on that he knew about her financial situation, and yet he never once called her on it, never once made her feel guilty or ashamed that she'd landed in such a predicament. Oh, he'd be brusque, sometimes prickly, irritable, and downright disagreeable, but that was just Luke being Luke. He had no intention of collecting on her tab, just as she had no intention of allowing him to cover for her.

"God, I need to win this. Wouldn't that shock the hell out of him? It'd shock the hell out of me too," she admitted.

There were two numbers left. _Matlock _hummed in the background on her television set as she blinked up at the ceiling, completely in another world. "Ohhh!" she said, snapping her fingers in delight. "Luke put 33 chocolate chips in my pancakes this morning." She beamed, mentally ticking off another number. "Yes, burger boy, I totally counted them, though you'll deny it to your grave." Lorelai snickered, a warm tingle of pleasure shooting down her spine.

Even mocking him behind his back was fun. More satisfying still was the fact that she'd noticed Kirk's chocolate chip pancakes weren't nearly as decorated. Nor were Bootsy's or Gypsy's, for that matter.

"And that leaves us with 35," she announced, trying to ignore the swell of butterflies in her stomach. "35, 35, 35 … I, uh, oooh … nope. Got nothing," Lorelai sighed in defeat. "Wait! I will buy 35 people a cup of coffee at Luke's tomorrow if this ticket wins. And if there aren't 35 people in the diner when I go in, then I will drink their portions. That is a sacrifice I am willing to make." She reached for her mug of coffee on the table in a toast to her own generosity, gulping down several mouthfuls of the liquid.

Her eyes moved to the television, and she sighed. "Friday night and I'm watching _Matlock_, waiting for the big draw. I feel like an eighty-year-old."

Jason, her boyfriend, was currently on a business trip with her father. They'd been dating for over four months, and although she enjoyed him on many levels – particularly his wit and his uncanny ability to match her story for story on her traumatizing childhood – she just didn't feel enough of a spark or a sizzle with him. Many times she wondered if what she saw in him had more to do with Emily's inevitable displeasure in their relationship than her own genuine interest.

Glancing at the clock on her VCR, she perched up a little higher in her seat. It was 10:25 pm. Only 10 minutes to go. The Connecticut State Classic Lotto hadn't been won for several weeks, and the jackpot was sitting at five million dollars.

"Sorry, Benjamin," Lorelai muttered at the screen as she turned to the appropriate station. "I have some other Benjamins to think about."

Her heart started to beat a little faster as the time continued to tick away; her knee jerked impatiently, and she took another healthy swig of coffee, willing the clock to move faster.

"Five million dollars," she whispered in awe. "Five millllllion dollars! Five m-m-million!" Lorelai giggled as she quoted the DeVito line from _Twins_.

Her eyes widened in amusement when a frizzy-haired woman dressed in a bright blue blazer and a black knee-length skirt appeared on the television screen, demanding attention with her booming voice and rolling vowels.

"Good evening, Connecticut State!" the woman declared with a startling amount of enthusiasm. "I'm Gloria Peterson! Now get those tickets ready 'cause it's time to start calling some numbers!"

"God," Lorelai said with a shudder, her nerves already frayed. "This woman needs to come with a warning label."

"Let's kick things off with our Cash 5 draw!" Gloria shouted, the mechanical ball machine whirring to life behind her. "The first number up … is 1! The second … is 6! The third … is 12! The fourth … is 17! And the last … is 24! Making tonight's Cash 5 official numbers: 1, 6, 12, 17, and 24!"

Lorelai pressed her hand to her heart. "Gah!" she yelped, lowering the volume several notches. "Gloria, I think you're headed for a breakdown."

She quietly controlled her breathing as Gloria ran through the Mega Millions numbers, then sucked in a gulp of air when her draw was introduced.

"Our final draw of the night is for the Classic Lotto!"

"This is it," Lorelai hissed, increasing the volume once more, clutching her ticket in her trembling hand. "Show me the money, Gloria. I think you've got _my_ numbers."

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A spectacular sunrise brought in a new day. It began in the East, casting a distinctive glow on the Gilmore household. Lorelai groaned, cursing the brightness of the sun that blazed through her curtains and the stiff crick in her neck. She rolled onto her side, only then noticing that she hadn't even made it between the sheets. The stale taste in her mouth was a rather unpleasant reminder of yet another crucial component of her usual nightly routine that she'd neglected. After rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she blinked at the alarm clock, confirming that it was indeed way too early to be awake, but something else caught her eye on the bedside table: the lottery ticket.

Her lips curled into a lazy smile, memories of the previous night flooding back to her. The aches in her joints and muscles reminded her of the spastic dancing fit that lasted well over an hour, the dull throbbing in her head prompted her to recall the time she finally crashed – sometime after 2 am – and the state of her dress (a pyjama top sans bottoms) was evidence of the coffee spilling incident that occurred when the third number was announced.

"Funny," Lorelai croaked, her scratchy voice due to a combination of too little sleep and too much screaming. "Not even winning the lottery can make a girl appreciate the morning."

Despite her less than lively condition, she was still showered, dressed, and ready to face the day forty minutes later. At 7:30 am, she stepped out into the fresh air, her purse slung over her shoulder, the lottery ticket tucked safely inside. First stop: Luke's diner.

_TBC…. _


	2. It Can Happen To You

_A/N: Hello again! Thank you all so very much for the wonderful reviews! I'm so happy you're enjoying the story. My story is happy too. Lots of happiness going on around here. You know what else makes me happy? _**Mags**_ makes me happy. She was a huge help with this chapter, and it just wouldn't be the same without her. And now that I've said my piece, you may go ahead and read it. :) _

The bells jingled jubilantly as she entered the bustling diner, smiling at the dozen or so familiar faces that greeted her.

"Lorelai! Doll!" Babette rasped, urgently pulling her into a hug. "Thank God you're okay."

Lorelai raised her eyebrows in surprise, slowly easing out of Babette's death grip. "Why wouldn't I be okay?"

Babette glanced around them quickly before leaning in a bit closer. "Well, Morey and I were a bit concerned … ya know, after we heard the screamin' last night." Lorelai bit her lip to keep from grinning. "We were about to hightail it over there, but then we remembered that you're a young, hot-blooded woman who has needs, and sometimes things can get a little primordial in the bedroom … Trust me, when Morey puts on his –"

"Babette!" Lorelai desperately interrupted. "Thank you for your concern, but I'm perfectly fine. I was just a bit excited about a, um, a show that was on TV, that's all."

"Right. Gotcha." The stout woman nodded conspiratorially, shooting Lorelai a wink as she returned to her table. "Got a healthy pair of lungs, that one," she said unabashedly to her tablemates.

Lorelai shook her head, taking a seat on a stool at the counter, her heart skipping a beat when she noticed Luke in the kitchen. She took a deep breath, dipping her hand into her purse to make sure she still had the golden ticket with her. A giddy smile played on her lips as she set it on the counter in front of her and tapped her fingernails impatiently.

Luke finally emerged with his hands full of breakfast plates which he quickly delivered to their rightful owners. He briefly glanced at Lorelai, his eyes lowering to the ticket.

Lorelai followed his line of vision, keeping her expression casual.

"I'm guessing you need some coffee," Luke grumbled, filling a mug and sliding it to her.

"Good guess." She smiled, taking a large gulp of the wonderfully warm liquid.

Luke watched her with avid interest for several seconds before he spoke again. "Fifteen messages," he uttered in disbelief, unable to hold back any longer. "Fifteen extremely bizarre, extremely long, extremely _loud_ messages."

"Excuse me?" Lorelai asked, raising her eyes, the coffee mug still glued to her lips.

"All recorded after midnight, might I add," Luke continued, clearly in the early stages of a rant. "Fifteen messages, one after the other, like a raving lunatic. I couldn't even sleep after that. I just kept hearing your voice in my head, over and over again, on a constant loop, and it wouldn't shut up…."

She slowly pulled the mug away and stared at him like he'd lost his mind. "Luke, what on earth are you talking about?"

He barked a laugh. "This!" he said, snatching the ticket from the counter, looking like he was about to tear it in half. "This ticket that has somehow turned you from charmingly crazy, to certifiably insane!"

Lorelai cocked her head. "You think I'm charming?" she asked with a flirtatious smile.

"I think you're nuts!" Luke growled, turning on his heel and poking his head into the kitchen. "Caesar, I'm taking a break! I'll be back in twenty!"

Her smile became a frown as she watched him march angrily through the curtain. That frown morphed into a look of panic when she realized that he still held their ticket. Sliding from her stool, she took off in a sprint after him.

"Luke!" Lorelai shouted up the stairs, hearing the door to his apartment slam shut in response. "I so didn't wear the right shoes for this," she sighed, slipping the deliciously red heels from her feet and leaving them at the bottom of the staircase, then lunging up the steps behind him.

The locked door she was met with on the landing made her roll her eyes in annoyance. She pounded frantically on the door, rattling the frosted glass. "Luke, if you rip that ticket, so help me God!" she shouted in warning.

"Would you pipe down," Luke snapped as he pulled the door open, allowing her to slip past him into his apartment. With the flick of his wrist, the door slammed shut again, and he stomped towards her.

Her eyes widened in alarm, then softened when he veered to the right, stopping in front of his bedside table. The sound of her own high-pitched voice flooded the room.

"_Luuuuke! Oh my god! I have big news, my friend! Huge news! Life-changing news! But I can't tell you about it until tomorrow. But oh my god, Luke! This is just … wow! I can't even express…."_ The answering machine cut her message short. Another beep sounded, and her tangent continued: _"I think I got cut off there. I'll try to keep this short. Oh, Luke, you just wouldn't believe it. It has to be some kind of trick. I mean, no way is this actually happening! Hahahahaha! I'm going crazy! Oh, I wish you were here, Luke. But no, it's fine. This news can wait. I'll tell you tomorrow. I don't think I'll be able to sleep…." _

Lorelai shrugged innocently upon receiving Luke's pointed stare, and as the third message played, she broke into a broad grin.

"_Okay, I can't beat around the bush anymore. We WON! You and me, Luke! We are millionaires! Five time millionaires to be exact … uh, or we're millionaires five times over. Yes, that's better. We won the jackpot! Five million dollars!" _Message three morphed into message four. _"Gloria! Gloria! I think they got your number, Gloria! I think they got your alias, Gloria! That you've been living under, Gloria!"_

Luke abruptly turned off the machine, rubbing his temples with his index and middle fingers. "Will you call the psych ward, or should I?"

Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Okay, see, it seemed like a good idea at the time. This isn't exactly how I wanted you to find out, or the reaction I expected, but it's true – every word of it."

"Who leaves someone fifteen messages?" Luke asked as he paced the floor, completely ignoring her statement.

She sighed, growing frustrated with his one-track mind. "Well, Luke, there is one very obvious solution here." He glanced at her, waiting to hear it. "Answer your phone!"

"Oh!" he shouted suddenly, causing Lorelai to jump. "Then there was the preternaturally calm message that you left. That one, quite frankly, scared me the most."

"Luke!" she cried, slapping her fists against her thighs. "Are you listening to anything I'm saying?"

He finally stopped pacing and stared at her expectantly.

"We need some champagne," she murmured, her heart thudding in her chest now that she had his undivided attention. "What are the odds that you've got some bubbly buried in one of these cupboards?" she wondered aloud. "God, I really didn't think this through. It's not nearly as special as I wanted it to be."

"What's not special? Lorelai, what are you talking about?" Luke asked impatiently, stepping closer to her.

She carefully extracted the ticket that was peeking out of the front pocket of his flannel shirt and held it up between them. "This," she explained. "This moment when I show you the winning ticket."

Luke's mouth twitched as his eyes examined the bright red circles around every number. "Just because you say it's a winning ticket, doesn't mean it's a winning ticket."

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" Lorelai shouted to the ceiling. "You're impossible! What is it going to take to convince you….' Her voice trailed off when her eyes landed on the newspaper spread open on the kitchen table. "Is this today's paper?" she asked him as she walked toward it.

Luke nodded once, curious by her unusually brusque tone. She moved determinedly to the table and swiped it, shuffling the pages frantically in search of the section that would put all his doubts to rest. "Here!" she said, practically thrusting the inky pages at him.

He caught the crumpled paper before it fell to the floor and silently scanned it. Twice he looked up to see her hopeful blue eyes pinning him with a stare. His skeptical gaze moved from the paper to the ticket in her hand, then back again in sheer amazement.

"Are you telling me that–"

"Yes," Lorelai interrupted, a brilliant smile lighting her face. "I'm telling you that we won, and my fifteen messages were telling you that we won. This is real, Luke. This is all very real … and very _surreal_."

He reached for the ticket, running the tip of his finger over every number, shaking his head in bewilderment. "You're telling me that this is the winning ticket, and you don't think this is special?"

Her smile stretched to uncharted territories. "Well, I guess maybe it is," she said softly, peering at him teasingly from beneath her eyelashes.

Forgotten pages of newsprint fell to the floor as he closed the distance between them and wrapped her in an impulsive hug. The gesture took her by surprise, and she chuckled at first, eventually becoming an active participant in the embrace. His hands gently patted her back, and hers gripped tighter to the flannel covering his waist, finding comfort and warmth in his arms.

It was over much too quickly, and not quickly enough. They slowly withdrew from one another, Luke's left hand lingering on her right shoulder before he shyly pulled it away.

"I'm just … I'm stunned," he said, filling the rare moment of silence.

"Now you understand the fifteen messages," she replied with a playful nudge to his ribs.

He rolled his eyes. "No, I will never understand that."

"Okay, so maybe it was a bit much."

"A bit?"

"Don't be mean to me, Luke. We haven't cashed in our chips yet," Lorelai warned him. "I could still take off to Fiji," she added, chuckling darkly.

Instead of responding to her teasing with a jab of his own, Luke levelled his eyes with hers. "You weren't serious about splitting it with me, were you?"

She nodded eagerly. "A promise is a promise."

Retrieving the discarded paper from the floor, he took a deep breath and sat at the kitchen table, inviting her to do the same. She pulled out a chair on the opposite side of the table and plopped down. Luke drummed his fingers nervously, and Lorelai waited anxiously for him to speak.

"Lorelai, this is your money. You won it fair and square, and I can't … I just can't accept this. I wouldn't feel right." His eyes were glued to his hands that were still tapping a steady beat.

"Luke," Lorelai said softly. "Luke," she repeated when he failed to meet her gaze, placing her hands atop both of his to still them.

Luke raised his head and caught the smile on Lorelai's lips before it disappeared along with the warmth of her hands.

"I want you to have the money," she told him sincerely, returning her hands to the safety of her lap. "You're part of the reason that I bought the ticket in the first place. You've been so good to me … and to Rory. We can always count on you – for anything." She paused as she considered the truth and the significance of her statement. "I told you I'd split the money with you, and I'm _going_ to split the money with you. I mean, hell, I probably owe you close to this amount on the tab we've been running over the years."

Luke snorted. "Five million dollars?"

She shrugged. "Technically only three million … or 1.5 a piece after taxes."

He was silent for a moment as he processed everything. His thumb rubbed absently along his jaw-line, and he sighed heavily. "You sure you want to do this?"

"Positive," she answered immediately.

He dropped his head, attempting to fight the smile that was threatening to break through, but a grin appeared instead when he noticed her competing one. "Crazy lady," he muttered, chuckling under his breath.

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"Why are you barefoot?" Luke asked, trailing after Lorelai down the staircase.

"Why are you only just noticing that?" she shot back, pausing at the foot of the stairs to slip back into her heels.

Luke's eyes followed the curve of her legs as she bent enticingly, the black skirt she wore inching slightly higher with the movement.

Lorelai cleared her throat, now standing upright with one hand gripping the curtain. "You coming?" She swished it back and forth, biting her lower lip in amusement.

Luke shook his head to clear it and followed her into the din of the diner.

Several heads turned when the two re-entered.

Babette pounced on them before anyone else had a chance. "You kids were sure gone a while," she said leadingly. "Heard a lotta yellin' up there, then a lotta … not yellin'."

Luke ignored the stocky woman completely and returned behind the counter, leaving Lorelai to fend for herself.

"Luke and I are just friends, Babette," Lorelai sing-songed, waving her off. "Don't tell me you've forgotten about Jason already," she admonished, slipping onto a stool at the counter, her eyes still focused on Babette. "Or Ni- uh, N-Nic–"

"Nicole," Luke supplied gruffly.

"Yeah, her," Lorelai agreed, smirking at Luke over her shoulder.

That unpleasant reminder seemed to deflate Babette. "Well, you can't blame a girl for dreamin'." She sighed, trudging back to her table.

Lorelai turned around to find Luke staring at her intently.

"Jason?" he asked with raised eyebrows.

"Oh." She smiled guiltily. "Uh, yeah. We've been dating for a couple months," Lorelai revealed, to Luke's obvious chagrin. "He works with my father," she added, as if that somehow redeemed him.

"Ahh," Luke remarked – his trademark expression whenever she shared such unwelcome news.

She fidgeted with her hands briefly before trying to lighten the mood. "So I can't believe you ditched me back there with Babette. Me – your partner in crime. I'm hurt. I'm scarred. Just for that, I'm letting you foot the celebration bill."

"Celebration bill?"

She nodded, happy to have distracted him. "I promised the lottery Gods that I'd buy everyone a cup of coffee."

"Then _you_ should buy it. I wouldn't want to incur the wrath of the lottery Gods."

"No, you misunderstood. I meant that I promised the lottery Gods that a portion of the winnings would be used to buy everyone a cup of coffee. It doesn't matter whose share that is."

"Of course not," Luke said. "Just as long as it's not yours."

Lorelai held up her hands in surrender. "Okay, fine. Let's go Dutch treat. I think that's fair, yes?"

"Do your thing," Luke grunted, gesturing to the customers with his rag. "One cup each," he told her firmly.

"Look who's Mr. Scrooge already." She giggled, hopping off her stool. "This is gonna be soooo much fun."

Making her way to the middle of the floor, she clapped her hands and whistled loudly, gaining the crowd's attention. "Hey, everybody! Luke and I, we just won the lottery, and today your coffee is on us!" she announced, stunning her audience into complete silence. They all glanced to Luke for confirmation; he simply shrugged in acquiescence.

After the cheers and applause died down, Lorelai winked mischievously at Luke and added, "Pie too!"

More cries of joy rang out.

"What about ice cream?" a random townsperson bellowed.

"A scoop for all!" Lorelai replied, clearly going mad with power. She strutted behind the counter and into the kitchen, ignoring Luke's protests as she grabbed the entire bulk-sized container of vanilla ice cream. With spoon in hand, she added a hearty scoop to each slice of pie that Caesar enthusiastically plated while Luke begrudgingly served the coffee.

_TBC…._


	3. Life Gets More Exciting Each Passing Day

_Hello again, hello! Look at me posting regularly, just like I said I would! There are several reasons for that. 1. Because I've been keeping up with my writing. 2. Because I care about my beautiful readers. 3. Because procrastination is a disease and I've been taking my anticrastination pills. 4. Because __**Mags**__ is awesome. 5. Because in case __**Filo**__ reads this, I needed to end with a five._

_Let's talk some more about __**Mags**__ before we move on. If I had a million dollars, I'd buy her an exotic pet, like a llama or an emu. I would also finally build that palace I promised because she has more than earned it. Thanks so much for all that you do! Reading time begins now!_

That evening, Lorelai answered the door wearing her housecoat and fuzzy pink slippers. She held a pint of chocolate ice cream in her left hand and a spoon firmly clutched between her teeth.

"Hey," she greeted Luke with a goofy, chocolate-coated grin.

He shook his head and said mockingly, "I see that your recent good fortune has given you a new lease on life."

She nodded enthusiastically. "I can buy the expensive ice cream now!" Removing the spoon from her mouth, she plunged it back into the container as she led the way to the living room.

"So you finally got rid of them?" she asked, taking a seat on the couch.

Luke joined her. "I had to promise I'd open even earlier tomorrow if they left."

Lorelai smiled sympathetically, leaning her head back against the cushion. "I never thought Kirk would let you go."

"I can still smell his breath," Luke muttered, shaking off the memory.

"He was so happy. His bestest buddy Luke won the lottery." She paused for a moment in thought. "Don't be surprised if he tries to mooch off of you."

"First time he tries to talk a free chocolate milk out of me, he's going out on his ass."

She giggled. "They'll build statues in your honour."

Luke looked at her seriously. "You still have the ticket, right?" He'd already asked her the same question at least a dozen times since he'd confirmed it was indeed the winning ticket. "Is it safe?"

"Yes, Luke," Lorelai answered patiently. "It's in my pocket right next to the One Ring." She took another healthy bite of ice cream and dropped the spoon into the empty container, placing it on the coffee table. "So, you ready to talk turkey?"

Lorelai had contacted the Connecticut Lottery Corporation that afternoon and was informed that the prize claiming ceremony would occur on Monday morning. After she'd relayed the message to Luke, she invited him over to discuss things in further detail with her.

"I can take the morning off, and we can drive up to Rocky Hill together, if you want," Luke offered.

She smiled. "You could take the entire day off, Luke. You're a rich man now."

"It's still my business," he reasoned.

"You're blue collar all the way, aren't you?" she teased him, earning a shrug in response. "Where is Rocky Hill, anyway?"

"Just south of Hartford."

Lorelai chuckled darkly. "Shoulda known I'd have to drive past my parents' house to get to the promised land. You up for a side trip to the Gilmore mansion?"

He shrugged again.

"I mean, my dad'll probably talk you into franchising your diner, or force you to buy a lifetime membership at his country club." Luke wrinkled his nose. "Yeah, and Mom will try convince me that I should sell the inn and devote my life to the DAR."

She was quiet for several seconds as she envisioned a frighteningly similar scenario. "Let's just honk as we drive by."

"I'm good with that." Luke rubbed the palms of his hands on his jeans distractedly. "You are gonna tell them eventually, though, right?" he asked seriously.

She smirked. "I figure I'll break the news after the giant trampoline gets delivered."

Luke turned to face her fully. "Giant trampoline?"

"Yes, Luke. It's a dream of mine," she spoke in an animated voice, mirroring his position. "I always used to say that if I ever won the lottery, I'd buy all my friends and family members a pool and a trampoline. Well, Richard and Emily already have a pool, so I'll just have to double the size of the trampoline."

Luke shook his head. "I'm sure they'll be thrilled," he deadpanned. "Just for the record, I don't need or want either, so you can skip over me."

"As for the rest of the money," Lorelai carried on, ignoring him, "I plan to finish up the Dragonfly in style. No more holding back, no more delays, and no cutting corners. I'm gonna hire an army of the best people to work under Tom." Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree as she revealed her intentions. "And I'm gonna give Rory the best damn education money can buy."

He watched her fight back the tears that were threatening to fall from her sparkling eyes, and he shifted closer to her, gently rubbing her arm. "She's one lucky kid."

Lorelai nodded, swallowing hard. "I just want her to have everything, you know? I always promised her the world, and now I can actually deliver on that promise." Luke squeezed her in response, and she smiled. "What about you, Luke? You must have some dreams of your own. How are you gonna spend the money?"

"I, uh … I don't know," Luke answered honestly. "I guess I haven't really had much time to think about it. I mean, I'll probably give some to Liz and Jess. Maybe give the diner a fresh coat of paint."

She interrupted his train of thought with a light nudge to his ribs. "Hey, Mister, that's my job."

He chuckled. "I'll at least pay you for it, then. And while I'm at it, I might even increase Caesar's pay."

Lorelai grinned. "Luke, you old softy. It only took, what, four years for you to finally break down and give the poor man a raise?"

"I've given him a raise before," he shot back.

"What else?" Lorelai prompted. "Any limited edition baseball cards or high-end flannel shirts calling your name? What about a lifetime supply of Mega Man Protein Powder? Now's the time to be crazy, Luke."

"Lucky that it's such a smooth transition for you," he retorted.

She rolled her eyes. "Speaking of smooth, how about a beer, Big Spender?"

"A beer would be great," he said, smiling.

"Mmm, beer and ice cream," Lorelai hummed as she made her way into the kitchen. "Beer-flavoured ice cream would be fabulous, don't you think?" she called to him.

"I think the crazy thing still stands," he shouted back.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

On Sunday night, Lorelai and Jason were seated on the couch in his living room, clinking together their glasses of wine.

"Sorry," Jason said again. "This was the closest I had to champagne."

Lorelai smiled. "It works." She took a healthy swig of the burgundy liquid to emphasize her point.

"And it doesn't even matter that this is a forty-year-old bottle of The Côte de Nuits finest blend. You're worth it," he told her with a cheesy smile.

She shook her head. "I'll buy you a new bottle."

"Make it two, and I'll add you to my will," he replied unabashedly, patting her knee. "So, three million dollars…." he began leadingly.

Lorelai blushed deeply, her cheeks reflecting the colour of the wine. "Uh, technically only 1.5 million."

Jason placed his glass on the table and turned to face her. "But I thought you said the jackpot was five."

"That part is true. I just, uh … I kind of split the ticket with Luke." She drank some more.

"Duke?"

"His real name is Luke," Lorelai insisted.

"You split half the pot with Duke?" Jason asked, clearly only interested in one thing. "Why would you do that?"

"Luke," Lorelai said, irritated, "and yes, I did," she admitted without an ounce of regret in her voice. "I made a deal with him, and I'm honouring that."

"Well, if it was only a verbal deal, we're still okay," Jason said, rubbing his palms together. "I'm sure he'd be willing to give the money back to you. It is rightfully yours, after all."

"Jason," she warned him.

"Do you know how set you'd be with three million dollars?"

She drained the remainder of liquid in her glass and levelled her eyes with his in a hard stare. "Jason. Please don't. This is my money, and this is my decision."

He bristled at the harsh tone of her words, but in true Digger fashion, he still said his piece. "I think you're making a big mistake."

His words rang true with her, but not likely in the way he hoped.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Lorelai walked to the diner bright and early Monday morning. They planned to meet there and take Luke's truck on their road trip to Rocky Hill. She nearly plowed into the man of the hour as she entered his establishment, and he quickly escorted her back outside, stopping when they reached the sidewalk.

She raised her eyebrows in surprise, trying to peek around his solid frame. "Am I too early?"

"I'm sorry," Luke replied, rubbing his fingers across his forehead. "I tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't take no for an answer. She insisted on tagging along."

"Who did? Miss Daisy?"

He frowned. "No, Nicole."

"Oh," Lorelai said as realization dawned. "Well, that's–"

"I'm so sorry," he repeated. "I really didn't expect for this to happen. I just…."

"Luke, really, it's okay." She painted on a smile and patted his shoulder reassuringly. "She's welcome to come. I'm sure she'll be a hoot. Oh, I can just imagine she lets loose on the road. All that prim-and-properness gets tossed out the window, right?"

Luke chuckled. "Yeah, exactly."

After filling three to-go cups of coffee – two for Lorelai, and one for Nicole – the travellers piled into Luke's truck, Luke sitting in the driver's seat, Nicole in the middle, and Lorelai on the outside.

Luke jerked the truck into gear, and they were off. An awkward silence fell over them; Lorelai scrambled to reach for the dials on the radio.

Nicole wrinkled her nose in distaste as Lorelai stretched over her clumsily, invading her personal space. "Do you have to do that?"

Lorelai drew back some, smiling uneasily at Nicole. "We're on a road trip. We need road trip music."

"I prefer quiet," Nicole retorted.

"Well, I prefer –" Lorelai began, falling short when she noticed Luke's warning glare. She nudged the dial one last time before sinking back into her seat with a defeated huff. The radio played softly – too quiet to hear anything of substance, but soft enough to curb any complaints Nicole may have issued.

Ten minutes. They'd only been on the road for ten minutes, and already Lorelai was feeling completely zapped of energy. That's when she heard the unmistakable sounds of a song she and Rory used to play endlessly in their early years at the Crap Shack, dreaming of a bigger and brighter future.

Glancing quickly to her left, Lorelai made a spectacular dive for the radio dial and turned up the volume, releasing a squeak of victory.

Luke and Nicole both stared at her like she had two heads.

"I love this song," Lorelai explained, hoping the simple statement would condone her actions. "And it's very appropriate, don't you think?"

The Barenaked Ladies' 'If I Had $1000000' echoed through the cab, and a huge smile lit up Lorelai's face. "If I had a million dollars, if I had a million dollars. I'd buy you a house, I would buy you a house," she sang, much to Nicole's chagrin and Luke's amusement. "And if I had a million dollars, if I had a million dollars. I'd buy you furniture for your house, maybe a nice chesterfield or an ottoman."

Luke chuckled, and Nicole rolled her eyes.

Lorelai sang every verse, not missing a word of lyrics or speech sprinkled into the song. "…Well, I'd buy you a fur coat, but not a real fur coat, that's cruel." She turned to look at Nicole. "You a fan of fur, Nicole?"

"No," she answered brusquely. "I'm not a fan of this song, either."

"What about you, Luke?" Lorelai asked. "Do you like Barenaked Ladies?"

Luke's eyes widened but stay glued on the road, and the tips of his ears turned a bright shade of pink. Nicole actually cracked a smile at seeing him so uncomfortable.

"And if I had a million dollars, I'd buy your loooove…." Lorelai belted out. As soon as the words left her lips, she clamped her mouth shut. The tension in the cab reached new levels.

Lorelai chuckled nervously. "You know, we should have, uh, taken a limo today … 'cause it costs more."

Nicole crossed her arms tightly over her chest and breathed heavily.

"Like one of those Hummer limos," Luke said, laughing at the thought.

"Yes, exactly!" Lorelai beamed. "Just give me the word, Luke. I'll call up Hoke, and we'll ride home in style."

Nicole sighed loudly.

Lorelai tapped her hands against her thighs and stared out the window, grinning as Hall and Oates' 'Maneater' began playing on the radio, and grinning even wider when Nicole abruptly shut it off.

_TBC…._


	4. Love Is In Your Heart Or On Its Way

_A/N: Hello, my dear readers! I'm a bit late with this update, but that's mostly due to my right kidney and its brilliant idea to not only produce but release a lovely, little stone. I call him Stoney Williams. I have a few people to thank here, besides Stoney. First, thanks to __**Mental Picture**__ for the inspiration. Thanks to all of you for your wonderful words of encouragement and your continued support. And last but certainly not least, thanks to __**Mags**__ for being the best damn beta a girl could ever ask for. She humanizes my characters, like Nicole who I tried to give Devil horns to. Enjoy! :)_

Lorelai and Nicole both held bouquets of beautiful spring flowers, and Luke clutched a thick bottle of champagne as they made their way back to his truck nearly two hours after the prize ceremony began.

"You know what?" Lorelai asked rhetorically, a huge smile permanently etched on her face. "Winning the lottery totally rocks."

Luke chuckled. "Well, it doesn't suck."

"I feel like royalty," Nicole chimed in, pressing her bouquet tighter to her chest. She took a long whiff of the blissfully fragrant flora and abruptly sneezed.

"I've never had so many important people actually want to shake my hand before," Luke marvelled.

Lorelai shot him a wink. "They're trying to rub off some of your good luck."

"I just hope all the pictures turn out," Nicole said. "I'm having the worst hair day." She ran a hand through her fine, perfectly straightened hair, causing Lorelai and Luke to exchange a look of pure puzzlement.

The ride home was a complete turnaround from the ride there. The mood had shifted dramatically, and the conversation was free and easy. There was only one tiny moment of discomfort when Lorelai made the mistake of bringing up one of the press people's faux pas during the ceremony.

"Hopefully they'll get our names right in the paper," Luke said.

"And they won't make the mistake of calling me your wife again," Lorelai added, chuckling softly.

Nicole rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you'd be heartbroken," she muttered.

Luke glanced at Lorelai briefly and cleared his throat. "So, how great was that spread? They must have had at least twenty different kinds of cheese."

"And they had cocktail weenies!" Lorelai enthused, smiling gratefully at Luke for changing the subject. "I love cocktail weenies!"

The three travellers disembarked at the diner where a convoy of townies awaited them, balloons, streamers, and every known and unknown party supply popping out of the woodwork thanks to their efforts. Nicole quickly stole herself to the apartment upstairs to escape from the madness, while Luke and Lorelai happily basked in the limelight. Well, Lorelai happily basked. Luke merely tolerated, but there was an unmistakable gleam in his eyes … that is, until Taylor accosted him.

"Lucas, just imagine the possibilities," the Selectman preached. "An increased festival budget would put Stars Hollow on the map. And more tourists means more business," he added shamelessly, nudging his fellow proprietor with his greedy elbow.

Taylor's boldness seemed to inspire a never-ending line of townspeople who had similar visions of dollar signs dancing in their heads.

"Luke, I'd like to offer my services as your personal servant," Kirk said as he approached, wearing a perfectly pressed business suit, his pants a good four inches too short. "Here are my credentials." He passed Luke a binder full of colour-coded references "Dry cleaning and shoe shining is included. Tooth brushing and nose hair trimming is extra."

Kirk was the first person forcibly removed from the building.

At the opposite end of the diner, Lorelai was undergoing her own unique brand of harassment.

"I've been thinking about expanding the shop," Gypsy told her. "I'd give you credit, of course."

Lorelai smiled dubiously. "Free oil changes for life?"

Gypsy snorted. "Fat chance."

"Would you at least put my name on the sign?" Lorelai asked, already knowing the answer.

"Do I look like an idiot to you?"

After Bootsy made a play for some dough, Luke had far surpassed his limit of patience. "How about I use my money to finance my dream of tossing each and every one of you loons into one giant padded cell?" he growled, shocking the entire room into silence. Turning to Caesar, he said, "I'm going upstairs. You're in charge. Nobody gets anything free, you got it?"

Caesar swallowed hard and nodded.

Luke faced his still-captive audience and emphasized his point, curling the fingers on his left hand into an 'O' shape. "Nothing is free at Luke's!"

Gypsy frowned. "Hey, that's my line! Nothing is free at Gypsy's!"

"I'll talk to you later," Luke said to Lorelai before he stomped behind the curtain.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Lorelai whispered to Caesar, "You get the ice cream, I'll start plating the pie."

Caesar's dimpled grin could be seen from the gazebo.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Luke stormed into his apartment and slammed the door, jarring Nicole who was sitting on the edge of his bed, the cordless phone pressed to her ear. She abruptly ended the call and regarded him with concern.

"Bad party?" she asked.

"Bunch of greedy lunatics, just can't wait to sink their claws into my money."

She gently returned the phone to its cradle, rose to her feet, and walked toward Luke. Her eyes fell to his right hand. "What's with the binder?"

Luke chuckled, forgetting he was still holding the stupid thing. He carelessly tossed it onto the kitchen table. "This is Kirk's crazy life story on about 200 sheets of Kinko's best twenty pound copy paper."

Nicole quirked an eyebrow. "Sounds fascinating."

He nodded distractedly. "Who was on the phone?"

"Oh," she said, ducking her head slightly in embarrassment. "Just a friend of mine. He's one of the top interior designers in New York City."

"Good for him," Luke grunted, not liking where this conversation was headed.

Nicole sighed. "He does great work, Luke. If you'd just let him take a look at the place–"

"I don't want anyone looking at my place!" he interrupted, slumping into a chair. "I like how it looks. I like the bland. I'm a bland kinda guy!"

"Luke," she groaned, frustrated, "would it really kill you to spruce it up a little? God knows you spend enough time here."

"I have a business to run!" he shot back, his voice tinged with defensiveness.

She held her hands out to the side. "So run your business! I'm not looking for a fight. I just wanted to do something nice for you." Nicole fell into the chair across from him and released a heavy breath.

Luke's shoulders relaxed and his voice immediately softened. "Nicole, I really don't want this," he told her gently, taking one of her hands in his. "Thank you for the thought, but I'll pass."

"Fine," she relented, meeting his eyes. "So I'll see you back at our place tonight?"

"Yeah, probably."

She shook her head, freeing her hand from his grasp. "Gee, love the enthusiasm."

He sighed tiredly. "I'll be there, okay?"

Nicole stood up and grabbed her purse from the table. "Do whatever you want. I have to get to work." With that, she slipped out the door and disappeared from sight.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Two winners. One, with the world on a string, ecstatic about the new and wonderful opportunities her good fortune could bring. The other, feeling the unpleasant effects of unexpected wealth and realizing that money didn't have the power to solve all his problems.

Construction at the inn was going full steam ahead. Lorelai felt as light as a feather, except where her pocketbook was concerned, but that burden was most definitely a welcome one. She needed a bigger wallet and set a date to go shopping for one with Jason, who seemed amused by it all.

Nicole took advantage of her night away from Luke and had their Litchfield home turned upside down in a matter of hours thanks to her design guru's advice and her own knack for interior design.

Luke spent a sleepless night in his apartment above the diner, regretting the way he'd treated his friends and neighbours, vowing to start the new day in better spirits, and resolving himself to the idea of officially moving in with Nicole.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"**Fairytale Lotto: Inn Owner Gives Diner Proprietor $1.5 M Tip"**

This was the headline Stars Hollow residents woke up to on Tuesday morning. Kirk was covering the story for the Gazette. He made the mistake of vocalizing that in the diner.

"Kirk, why did you print this story? It's not even a true story," Luke pointed out, though his voice lacked his usual prickly edge.

Lorelai nodded, sipping her coffee as her eyes scanned the article. "It wasn't a tip. I was just paying my tab … forty-five years in advance." She looked up at Luke expectantly.

"The way you eat, I think twenty years would be more accurate," he shot back.

She grinned. "Speaking of, where are my pancakes?"

"They're waiting for your bacon, eggs, sausage, home fries, and toast to get done," he answered, folding his arms.

"Don't forget my muffin."

He rolled his eyes and plated one for her on the spot. "You still want me to come by the inn tomorrow?"

She took a mammoth bite of the blueberry muffin and nodded enthusiastically. "How's two?" she said through stuffed cheeks.

He shook his head. "Two's fine."

"I meant muffins," Lorelai corrected, chuckling softly.

"You have got to be kidding me," he muttered in disbelief, grabbing a second muffin and putting it in a carry-out bag. "You can eat it later."

She happily accepted the bag and dumped the second muffin onto her plate. "I figure now that I'm rich I can let myself go."

Luke sighed but couldn't mask his smile, so he chose to hide it in the kitchen instead. "I'll go check on your freak breakfast," he grumbled. Lorelai smirked, having caught his expression.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

On Wednesday afternoon, Lorelai proudly accompanied Luke on a tour of the grounds at the Dragonfly Inn. It thrilled them both to see every square inch of space occupied by a busy worker attending to each and every construction need. The interior was no different. Everyone had a job, and they all appeared more than happy to be doing it, especially now that they were receiving steady paychecks. Even in the matter of a couple days, the transformation was dramatic.

They paused next to Luke's truck, leaning against the side of it as they took in the scene from a new angle.

"Lorelai," Luke said softly, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Hmm?"

He fidgeted with his hands for a moment before continuing. "I want to … I'd like to use some of my money to put towards the inn."

Lorelai abruptly turned to face him, her mouth open in shock. "Luke … you don't have to … I have more than enough money to cover the costs…."

"I know," he said quickly. "But I want to do this. I want to invest in your business. I want to invest in you."

She blinked rapidly, trying to discourage her eyes from filling with tears. "I don't know what to say," she whispered.

Luke gently rubbed her arm in a soothing manner. "Just say you'll accept it."

"If you're sure this is what you want to do, then of course I'll accept it."

"I'm sure," he insisted.

Lorelai smiled, completely amazed by his gesture. "Then I guess you're an official investor now. I'll have to get a hat made up for you, or something."

Luke chuckled, finally removing his hand from her arm. "I like the one I have just fine," he said, adjusting the familiar blue cap on his head.

"Hey, did you hear about the cruise?" Lorelai asked suddenly.

He frowned. "Oh, that Millionaires Cruise?"

Lorelai nodded. "Yeah, The Manhattan Millionaires Cruise. It's this Saturday. I think it might be fun. We can schmooze with the upper class." She nudged him playfully.

"Maybe I'll see if Nicole wants to go."

She tried to hide her disappointment at the mention of his wife's name. "Yeah, yeah. I'll, uh, run it past Jason too."

Luke nodded distractedly. "God, I hate New York. It's an overpopulated, decaying heap. I mean, the smell of it alone is just…." he trailed off, noticing Lorelai's amused expression. "There'll be alcohol on this cruise, right?"

"Uh huh. And lots of it."

He smiled. "The inn looks great."

Lorelai beamed, blushing under his steady gaze.

"I better get back to the diner."

"Okay," she said. "Thank you so much for coming and for–"

Luke held his hand up to stop her. "It's my pleasure."

She backed away from the truck and watched him slide into the driver's seat, knowing that all the money in the world wouldn't change a practical bone in his body. He would still insist on driving that beat-up green truck, working a twelve hour shift, and waking up before dawn. As he waved to her in the distance, she clutched her stomach, realizing that she was beginning to fall for every practical bone in his body.

_TBC…._


	5. As Rich As You Are, It's Better By Far

_A/N: Hello, hello, to you and you and you! Today is a very special day! First of all, I have a new chapter ready for your perusal that happens to be twice the length of the previous chapters! How special is that? I do it because I care about my special readers, and I do it because there is an awful lot of story left to tell, and I still plan to wrap this baby up in three more chapters. I have two special people to thank before I'm finished here. First, __**OJ**__, for cracking the whip on me and being an exceptionally awesome writing buddy. And a very, very special thanks goes to __**Mags**__ for her positivity, for being another fantabulous writing buddy, and for giving me absolutely invaluable feedback. I always look so forward to your comments, and you never cease to make me giggle or impress me with your insight. Phew, I'm done. Enjoy!_

Lorelai grabbed the portable phone and crashed on the couch in the living room, quickly dialling Rory's number.

"Well, if it isn't Barbara Hutton," Rory answered on the third ring.

"Yes, I am the poor, little rich girl," Lorelai agreed, smiling. "Now, if I could just find a man like Cary Grant."

"Mmhmm," Rory agreed. "So, Friday Night Dinner in two days."

Lorelai readjusted her head on the armrest and sighed. "And she cuts right to the chase."

"It's time for you to fess up. End the mystery. Explain the giant trampoline that has probably been the talk of the neighbourhood for the past week."

She couldn't help the snort that escaped. "You are coming, right?"

"Oh yeah. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Just to see Mommy get fed to the lions."

"How exactly do you plan on telling Grandma and Grandpa that you now have more money than they do?"

She pressed her thumb to her chin, pretending to ponder. "Ummm, I think a lot of laughing and finger pointing will be involved. I haven't really thought beyond that."

Rory chuckled. "Do you think either of them went for a test jump?"

"Rory, sweetheart, I think the odds of them even knowing what a trampoline is are slim to none."

"I still can't believe it's true," Rory said quietly after a pause. "It's just … this kind of stuff doesn't happen, you know?"

Lorelai nodded, biting her lip. "I know, kid. I have to pinch myself every day."

"Good things happen to good people," Rory told her, her voice sincere and confident.

"That's sweet," Lorelai said genuinely. "I'll save that for my speech to the parents." She heard shuffling on Rory's end, then an unmistakable, impatient huff from Paris followed by a Ferdinand the bull reference.

"I gotta run. I promised Paris I'd go over some notes with her."

"Okay, sweets. How's tomorrow looking? I was thinking we could pay Giorgio and Gianni a little visit."

"Oh, you're on a first name basis with them now," Rory playfully noted.

"Do you think Vera Wang does cruise wear?"

"For Lorelai Gilmore, anything is possible," she replied enthusiastically. "Call me in the morning."

"You got it. Bye, doll."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Lorelai and Rory stood outside the Gilmore mansion on Friday night, inspecting the property for any unusual traces of fun.

"I don't see the trampoline," Rory observed.

"This could be a bad sign," Lorelai admitted. "Hey, what do you think would shock them less? That I'm dating Jason, or that I'm richer than they are?" she asked.

Rory shrugged. "Well, if one doesn't go over well, try the other."

"I don't think either will go over well."

"Then you might as well kill two birds with one stone."

Lorelai sighed. "Stupid birds."

Emily opened the front door and crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you two planning on staying out here all night?"

Lorelai nudged Rory ahead. "You first."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

After pouring everyone a drink, Richard took a seat next to Emily and spread open the newspaper tucked into the side of the cushion. Emily silently stared at the wall, and Rory glanced nervously at Lorelai.

Lorelai swallowed back half of her drink and took a deep breath. "So, uh, who wants to hear a funny story?" she asked.

"Oh, let's see ... does it involve money, perhaps?" Emily responded curtly.

"And finding it under a big 'W'?" Lorelai joked. "You've seen it too?"

Emily pursed her lips and leaned forward. "Do you think we don't get the newspaper, Lorelai?"

"You mean that thing in Dad's hands isn't a mirage?"

"You won the lottery, and you didn't tell us," Emily continued in an injured tone. "You hid it from us, the way you do all major life events."

"Mom, I wasn't hiding it," Lorelai insisted.

"I don't suppose it matters anyway. You certainly don't need us anymore," Emily finished bitterly. She turned to Richard for support, but his eyes were firmly fixated on his reading material.

"Us not needing your money anymore does not equate to us not needing _you_ anymore. I don't know what we'd do without your," Lorelai paused mid-thought, taking in Emily's frosty glare, "uh, delightful company and gracious hospitality."

Richard folded his newspaper and the corner of it caught Emily's eye. She pulled the paper from his grasp before he had a chance to react.

"You took a lovely picture, Lorelai," Emily spoke acerbically as she glanced at the image of her daughter. Lorelai's tongue was sticking out, and her left fist was pumping in the air while her right hand clutched one side of a giant check. "I especially enjoyed the little jab about us you just had to throw in." Lorelai frowned. "Oh, have you forgotten already? Well, let me refresh your memory."

Emily cleared her throat and quoted directly from the article in an overly dramatic voice. "I'm just still in shock, ya know? I mean, I guess I'll get used to it eventually. I mean, growing up with the Gilmores was pretty good practice, but I don't have much use for giant dog figurines and chests and silver goblets and tumblers and European luggage and naked angels…."

Lorelai smiled sheepishly. "But, uh, the décor really works here."

"So," Rory said, attempting to deflect attention from her mother, "where's the new trampoline hiding?" She bit her lip in remorse when Lorelai's head fell into her hands.

Emily rolled her eyes. "What on earth would ever possess you to give us such a thing? Do you have any idea how large it is?"

"No," Lorelai murmured, lifting her head that was now sporting a very visible smirk. "But I think I need to see it to get the full effect."

Richard interrupted Emily's protests. "Yes, let's have a look at it," he replied, rising to his feet. "Dinner can wait, Emily."

Their brief stroll took them to the side yard, and both Lorelai and Rory were taken aback by the immense size of the trampoline.

"Wow," Lorelai said. "They weren't kidding about it being giant. Those folks at 'Tramps "R" Us' are good, honest people." She looked between Emily and Richard and grinned mischievously. "So, have either of you thought about testing ol' Tabitha out?"

"Don't be absurd, Lorelai," Emily hissed.

Richard seemed to consider the idea. With a quick glance at Emily, he sat on one of the steps to the trampoline and removed his shoes, revealing long black socks with red striped suspenders.

"Richard, have you lost your mind?" Emily cried.

"Is my dad wearing sock suspenders?" Lorelai asked Rory, nearly shaking from barely contained laughter.

Carefully, Richard climbed the remaining steps and balanced himself in the centre of the of the trampoline, beaming proudly as though he'd accomplished something truly fantastic.

"Richard, I won't ask you again!" Emily shouted. "Get down from there this instant!"

"Uh, how does one start this contraption?" he asked, ignoring Emily's stern warning. "Is there an 'on' switch?"

"You jump, Dad!" Lorelai managed to utter through her gasps of laughter.

Emily shook her head as she circled the trampoline from the safety of the ground below, feeling completely helpless. "This is outrageous, Richard! You'll break your neck!"

"Well, here goes," Richard said with a twinkle in his eye. He took a deep breath and then a gentle hop, chuckling at the tremendous springing action he felt under his feet. "This is rather fun."

Lorelai turned to Emily and noticed a faint smirk on the older woman's face. "You guys officially have the coolest house on the street now. You can thank me later."

Richard took three more tame jumps and safely exited the trampoline bed, coming to rest on the steps again. "I think I've worked up a good appetite," he remarked, sliding on his shoes again. "That's enough fun for one evening."

"Way to go, Grandpa!" Rory commended him as she helped him up from the step, and the four of them returned inside.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Following dinner and some comprehensive financial advice from Richard, Rory and Lorelai said their goodbyes.

"Well, that was possibly the best Friday Night Dinner in history," Lorelai said once the front door had closed behind them.

Rory nodded in agreement, her eyes glued to her phone while she checked her messages. "I concur."

Lorelai pulled her closer and kissed her cheek. "See you next week, sweets."

"Have fun on your cruise," she replied with a smile.

They walked slowly to their separate vehicles. About four steps in, Lorelai stopped moving and turned to Rory. "Please tell me you got a picture of Grandpa in action."

Rory smirked and tapped her cell phone.

She grinned in relief. "That's my girl."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Luke pulled up in front of the Litchfield house that he hadn't yet been able to call a home. He was prepared to make that declaration tonight. What greeted him, however, had him staying put in his truck for longer than he intended. A barrage of workers were flowing in and out like they owned the place, carting new pieces of furniture from huge delivery trucks and replacing them with the barely used furniture he and Nicole had bought together several weeks ago. That particular shopping excursion had been the worst four hours of his life, and now he watched as the fruits of his labour were so carelessly tossed aside by a bunch of stuffy designer guys who were probably allergic to the tiniest speck of dust.

He waited for the trucks and the twerps who drove them to disappear before he stepped outside with a couple duffle bags in hand. He slowly walked up the steps to the open front door, not even a bit surprised that the workers hadn't left a trace of dirt behind them. Cautiously he crossed the threshold and closed the door behind him, breathing in the acrid smell of fresh paint.

Luke dropped his bags by the door and continued walking forward, dreading what he'd see behind the first corner. Nicole was busily removing the plastic wrap from furniture that appeared to be more rigid than the woman herself. He gawked at the gaudy, Victorian era artwork that hung in place of the simple, muted pieces they once owned. The Tiffany lamps on every end table ticked him off, but the crystal chandelier shining overhead sent him over the edge.

"What the hell is all this crap?" he demanded, his arms out to the sides.

Nicole jumped, startled by his presence. "Luke," she said, pressing a hand to her heart. "What are you doing here?"

"What am _I_ doing here?" he replied mockingly. "What are _you_ doing here?"

For a brief moment her face showed insecurity, but it was quickly replaced with defensiveness. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"It looks like you're tearing our house apart and filling it with useless junk that I don't want!"

"I see," Nicole said, chuckling sardonically. "So now it's _our_ house. Luke has decided to move in finally, has he?"

"Yes," he growled. "As a matter of fact, I have. And as a co-owner and co-inhabitant, I want this stuff gone!"

She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him defiantly. "You think it's that easy, do you? You just say the word, and it's gone? What about what I want? You haven't spent more than ten minutes here, and now suddenly you want creative input? What difference does it make to you? You say you're moving in, but I'll believe that when I see it."

Luke's nostrils flared as he stomped out of the room and retrieved his two duffel bags from the hall, tossing them to the floor when he returned. "This enough proof for you?"

"I've never known a man who could pack up his whole life in two duffel bags," she muttered. Nicole raised her eyes to his and said seriously, "If you're really here to stay, then you're going to have to be willing to compromise."

He sighed. "How are we supposed to afford all this, anyway?"

"Really?" Nicole asked incredulously.

"Okay, we can afford it, but I really don't want to throw good money away on a bunch of useless furniture," he grumbled, taking a seat on, undoubtedly, the most uncomfortable couch in the entire world.

She joined him, leaving a cushion of space between them. "I suppose you just want to sit on the money for the rest of your life and watch it grow dust while you keep doing the same thing day in and day out."

Luke rolled his eyes but said nothing in response.

"We're married, aren't we?" Nicole said. "As your wife, do I not reserve the right to spend some of the money how I want?"

"Yes," he hissed.

She nodded. "So, let me have this one thing."

He took a deep, calming breath and closed his eyes. "So much for compromise," he mumbled.

They were both silent for a minute, allowing themselves time to digest everything and let the anger dissipate.

"Are we still on for the cruise tomorrow night?" Nicole asked gently.

Luke's eyes flew open. He'd nearly forgotten about the cruise and mentioning it to her. "I guess." He shrugged. Whatever."

She smiled, satisfied with that answer. "I'll meet you here tomorrow at six."

"Fine."

Nicole rose to her feet. "There's some leftover salmon in the fridge," she told him. "I'm going upstairs to read."

He nodded, waiting for her to leave the room before he covered his eyes with the palms of his hands in attempt to stave off his impending migraine.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

A sleek black limo slowed to a smooth stop along the Hudson River. Nicole exited the vehicle she insisted they take while Luke paid their driver. He joined her a minute later, admiring the view of the river at night with the lights of the city reflecting on the water. Nicole's eyes were focused upward on the Royal Princess – the ship selected to escort a full passenger list of millionaires for a night of entertainment.

There were already dozens of people aboard, loudly marking their place on the deck, glasses of champagne in hand. The whole scene made Luke ill. He hated the way rich people acted, lording their money over others or spending it frivolously. The last thing in the world he wanted to do was get stuck on a boat full of them, eating caviar and pretending he gave a damn about the latest stock quotes.

He glanced down and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to wish away the penguin suit that was currently suffocating him. He felt hot and sick and completely out of place. Nicole didn't seem to notice as she blazed a trail to the gangplank at the end of the dock.

She paused when she realized Luke wasn't following her. "You coming?" she asked impatiently.

"You go on ahead. I'll be right there," he said. "I just need some air."

Nicole nodded in understanding. "Don't take too long."

Luke watched her ascend the ramp and climb aboard, effortlessly mingling with the crowd. Taking a heavy breath, he leaned over the railing and stared out at the eerily calm water. The sound of an engine behind startled him, and he turned around.

A raven-haired beauty wearing a cardinal-red dress stepped out of the canary-yellow taxi cab. Luke blinked twice, confirming that it was indeed Lorelai Gilmore paying the driver. He slowly walked toward her, smirking at her choice of transportation.

"Couldn't splurge for a limo, huh?" Luke asked to her very exposed back.

She abruptly turned around, her mouth falling open as she took in his appearance. "Wow. You look … You, uh … Um, hi," she finished awkwardly, blushing under his stare.

Luke chuckled. The taxi noisily sped away, allowing each of them a moment to calm their nerves. "You look beautiful," he finally responded.

Her blush deepened. "Thank you," she said, smiling warmly.

"You by yourself?"

Lorelai bit her lower lip. "Oh, uh, Jason couldn't make it."

Luke was unconvinced, but he didn't try to pry for any more details. "New dress?" he asked instead.

She smiled, infinitely pleased by his perception. "Rory helped me pick it out."

He nodded in approval, his gaze sweeping over her for at least the third time. "Well, she has great taste."

Their eyes met and held contact for several seconds, until a blast of a ship's horn stole their attention. Lorelai gasped, and Luke took off in a sprint as the vessel pulled away from the dock, shouting for them to wait, but to no avail. He stopped running and hunched over in defeat with his hands on his knees.

Lorelai soon caught up to him and patted his shoulder reassuringly. "It was a good effort, Butch," she told him teasingly when he stood up.

She glanced back to the ship, and her eyes widened when realization dawned. "Oh no! I suppose Nicole's…."

Luke sighed. "It's okay. She's in her element. She'll probably have the time of her life."

"What about you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

He shrugged. "I hate big boats."

Lorelai tried to resist the temptation but failed miserably. "He hates big boats, and he cannot lie," she began in a deep voice, causing Luke to frown in confusion. "You other brothers can't deny … that when a ship comes in with an … uh, itty-bitty mast and a round stern in your face you get–"

"A shrink," Luke interrupted, causing her to laugh. "Crazy lady," he muttered. His eyes shifted to the left, and he smiled. "You hungry?"

"Always."

He pointed behind her to a restaurant right on the water.

Her eyes lit up. "Looks fancy. At least we won't feel overdressed."

Luke held his hand out to the side, gesturing for her to proceed ahead of him.

They were seated at a table right near the water's edge. Crisp white linens covered all the tables, and candles burned brightly in their centres. The city lights and the soft glow from the lanterns along the dock provided additional ambience.

Champagne was poured and glasses were clinked. Both Luke and Lorelai figured it was high time they celebrated in style, and despite Luke's dislike of the bubbly, he wanted to make this night as special as possible for the woman sitting across from him.

Lorelai leaned forward a little and smiled at him over her glass. "Wanna hear a funny story?" she asked with a teasing glint in her eyes.

He chuckled and mirrored her position, minus the glass. "Let's hear it."

"My father, Richard Gilmore, jumped on a trampoline last night," she revealed in a scandalous voice.

Luke shook his head. "I can't believe you actually sent them a trampoline." After a beat, he added, "He really jumped on the thing?"

"Four times!"

"Four times? Wow. That's, uh, … four more times than I would've jumped. Good for Richard."

Lorelai nodded. "Yes, we're quite proud. We're thinking of enrolling him in Circus School."

He smiled. "I'm sure he'd loved that."

She lowered her glass to the table and her eyes to the menu. "I think I feel like spaghetti."

"We're out at a fancy restaurant, and she orders the simplest thing on the menu."

"Hey, it could be very fancy spaghetti, Mister," Lorelai argued. She raised her eyes to meet his and caught his smile. "I'm so happy I could share this with you," she said softly.

The waiter appeared to take their orders, preventing Luke from responding to Lorelai right away. While Lorelai expressed her stomach's desire, Luke felt around in his pocket for an envelope. Once they were alone again, he slid forward in his seat and extended it to her.

A curious eyebrow rose, and she quickly slipped her finger under the seal to open it. Her mouth fell open as she revealed the contents: a check made out to the Dragonfly Inn. When her eyes scanned the figure, she gasped in shock.

"Luke," she whispered. "This is way–"

"It's not too much," Luke insisted before she could get the words out. "It's not. And it's non-negotiable," he told her firmly.

Lorelai frowned. "But, Luke." She lowered her voice even more. "It's a hundred thousand dollars."

He nodded resolutely. "I want you to have it. I won't take no for an answer."

She closed her eyes, trying to control all the emotions roiling inside of her stomach but desperately failing. Live music echoed from the interior of the restaurant, a kind, infinitely generous man sat across from her, and all at once everything became clear.

_Now it can be told_

_Told in all its glory_

Lorelai's bright blue eyes fluttered open and latched onto his. She cocked her head to the side, and with a hopeful grin on her face, she asked, "You wanna dance?"

Luke's eyes widened in shock. "Uh, well, I'm not really big on dancing," he admitted shyly, tugging at his collar.

_Now that we have met_

_The world may know the sentimental story_

She nodded quietly, struggling to mask her disappointment.

Luke instantly picked up on it and kicked himself hard. "I guess, maybe we could…."

_The greatest romance they ever knew_

_Is waiting to_

_Unfold_

A smile slowly blossomed on her face, and he was a goner. She pushed her chair back and stood up, holding her hand out to him, palm up.

He chuckled and obligingly placed his hand in hers, rising from the table.

_Now it can be told_

_As an inspiration_

They walked together, hands clasped, giddy smiles on their faces. When they stopped, his hand went to her back, and he swallowed a sigh upon touching her bare skin. She held in an identical sigh upon being touched. Effortlessly they glided in step with one another.

She could smell him, and she relished his woodsy scent with French fry undertones. The hand at her lower back sent warm tingles through her body, but the hand he clutched tightly at his chest made her feel whole.

_Every other tale  
Of boy meets girl is just an imitation_

He heard her sniff, followed by a low hum of approval. Luke ached to take a whiff of her locks, but he wouldn't dare. He could stare, though, and he greedily gazed at the spiralling tendrils of hair that cascaded down her shoulders, and he hungrily drank in her gorgeous blue eyes that sparkled whenever they met his.

_The great love story  
Has never been told before_

They drifted closer. Her head rested on his shoulder, and his hand strayed lower on her back. Their breaths were rapid, but soft. Their eyes were open wide, filled with awareness and anticipation. Their feet rocked gently, the only part of their bodies still paying attention to the music.

_But now  
Now it can be told_

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Luke walked Lorelai to her awaiting taxi cab, and they both paused, unprepared for the night to end.

"Do you ever get bored?" she asked out of the blue, causing Luke to chuckle. "I mean, there are so many people working at the inn now. Sometimes I just feel like I'm in the way."

He nodded in understanding. "I've been giving Lane and Caesar more hours lately. Just wanted to give them a little extra cash, but they're both doing a great job. They're a good team."

"And you don't want to break up the team."

"Right."

Lorelai tapped her heels anxiously. "Uh, maybe we could hang out sometime, you know, do something fun to pass the time."

"Tomorrow?"

She beamed. "Tomorrow's good."

Luke smiled in response, his hand poised on the door handle. "You sure we can't give you a ride back?" he asked, hoping she'd change her mind.

"Thanks, but I'm good. I should give you the number of the cab company. You may need one," she said with a teasing wink.

He smirked and pulled open the door. "Goodnight, Lorelai."

Lorelai slid into the back seat of the cab and shot him one last heart-stopping smile. "Goodnight, Luke."

He couldn't wipe the smile from his own face, not even when he heard the ship's horn. As it drifted into view, he braced himself. When it docked, Luke took a deep breath and climbed the ramp, ready to face the music. He entered the lounge, expecting to find a livid Nicole, but instead he witnessed a woman deep in conversation with a boisterous man in a maroon velvet tuxedo, educating her on the subject of investment opportunities.

Nicole smiled and waved at Luke when she caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye. "Luke! There you are! Did you have a good time? Have you met Preston? He just gave me the best tip…."

Preston lifted his glass to Luke and said in a deep, suave voice, "Stay thirsty, my friend."

The sick feeling was back.

_TBC…._


	6. Go To Extremes With Impossible Schemes

_A/N: Hiya, folks! Thank you for the love! Once again I apologize for the wait, but it wasn't too long, was it? This chapter is brought to you by the letter M and the letter O. The O is for someone outstanding who enjoys when I crack the whip on her almost as much as I enjoy cracking it. Oh, and she cracks it on me too *giggles*. Her name is __**OJ**__. And the M is for someone magnificent who happens to be a most excellent writing partner, a brilliant beta, and a fabulous friend to boot. Her name would be __**Mags**__. Hope you all enjoy this chapter that wouldn't be possible without MO. :)_

Lorelai sat on a stool at the counter and waited for Luke to extract himself from the kitchen. He insisted on helping Lane and Caesar with the Sunday morning breakfast rush, and Lorelai didn't even put up a fight, mainly because she got a stack of pancakes and four cups of coffee out of the deal.

Every time Luke passed by her, she tossed out another potential idea on how they could spend their day together.

"We could top up all the parking meters before the Meter Maids pounce," she suggested during his third time by.

Luke raised his eyebrows. "Stars Hollow doesn't have any parking meters. Or Meter Maids."

"Hmmm." Lorelai frowned. "I'll keep thinking."

He grabbed two new orders from the window and turned back to face her. "How about something simple, like taking a walk?"

"You know," she began, ignoring his ridiculous proposal, "I've always wanted to drop a suitcase full of money from the rooftop of a building."

"Yeah, that's very simple," he muttered, rounding the counter to deliver the plates.

"Kinda like they did on _It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World_, but on purpose-like." She swivelled around in her stool and quoted from the film, "We've figured it seventeen different ways, and every time we figured it, it was no good, because no matter how we figured it, somebody don't like the way we figured it! So now, there's only one way to figure it. And that is, every man, including the old bag, for himself!"

"She's off her medication," Luke explained to his troubled patrons staring at the crazy lady at the counter. "Don't worry; she's completely harmless."

Lorelai smirked when he joined her at the counter again. "How 'bout a trip to the Big Apple? I know how much you love it there."

"You're joking, right?"

She shook her head. "That's where I wanna drop my suitcase full of money. Off a giant skyscraper."

Luke sighed and leaned on his elbows across from her. "You're not going to drop a suitcase of money off a giant skyscraper."

"A little skyscraper?"

"Now there's an oxymoron."

Lorelai pouted. "Who you callin' a moron?"

"If I agree to New York, will you stop talking and let me work for five minutes?" he pleaded.

She beamed and nodded enthusiastically. He in turn topped up her coffee cup for the fifth time.

"Sucka," she whispered, chuckling into her mug after he disappeared into the kitchen.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Luke drove Lorelai's Jeep to the edge of the city, then they decided to cab it the rest of the way. They parked the Jeep underground and hailed the first taxi they saw. Lorelai pretended for the majority of the trip that they were in the 'Cash Cab' and forced the suspicious cabbie to ask them questions at random intervals.

Eventually, Martin, their cab driver, got into the game and promised them a free fare if they answered his final question correctly. Luckily for Lorelai, it was TV-related, and she answered it without missing a beat. Luke just shook his head in amazement.

Lorelai insisted on paying the full fare after all and promised to call for Martin whenever she needed a ride in the future.

"I'm beginning to feel like I'm having an out of body experience every time I'm with you," Luke told her as they walked along the busy streets of New York City.

She smiled. "Stick with me, my friend. Your life will never be boring again."

They slowed when they came to a street corner and waited for the light to turn green before crossing. Lorelai's eyes fell to the ground, landing on a dollar bill poking from beneath a fellow pedestrian's perfectly polished dress shoes. She immediately bent down and reached for it, but hesitated when she noticed a young boy with the same intentions. His clothing was tattered and unwashed, his hair was scraggly and unkempt, and the crooked, yellowing smile he revealed when she nodded for him to take the money showed years of neglect.

Lorelai swallowed hard and stood back up again, watching as the child darted off with his prized possession in his hands. She bit her lip and glanced at Luke who was busily trying to brush invisible dirt from his sleeves. "Luke," she murmured, tugging on his arm.

"God, I hate this place," he grumbled. When her tugs persisted, he frowned. "Do you have a problem?"

She pointed to the street perpendicular to them, her eyes glued on the boy's rapidly retreating figure. "I think we need to take a little detour."

Luke's nose wrinkled in distaste at the sight of the rough-looking street. "Let me guess. Getting mugged is on your life list too."

"Luke, please come with me. This is important."

The determination on her face gave Luke little choice in the matter. Once the light turned green in their favour, they crossed to the other side. Lorelai's pace quickened when she noticed the boy disappear into a building.

"Hurry, Luke! We're gonna miss him," she said urgently, pulling on Luke's arm.

"Miss who? Lorelai, what the hell is going on?" he demanded, breaking into a jog to keep up with her. "And how the hell are you moving so fast in heels?"

Lorelai smirked. "It's natural-born talent." She huffed out of breath, slowing to a stop when the boy reappeared, sitting on a dusty, old crate outside the building. "There he is," she whispered to Luke, tapping him on the chest.

"Do you know this kid or something?" Luke asked, his eyes squinting in effort to read the sign above the building. "Bleeker Street Shelter," he made out. "Man, this place looks pretty rundown."

Big brown eyes looked up at the unusual visitors as they neared. Those eyes landed on familiar blue ones and widened in panic. He stood and clutched the dollar bill tightly in his hand, preparing to bolt.

"No, no," Lorelai said gently. "I don't want the money. It's yours fair and square."

The boy chewed his upper lip and nodded slightly.

Luke moved in front of Lorelai to shield her from the menacing figure who sat across from her.

She knelt down on one knee a few feet away from the boy. "Is this where you live?" Before giving him a chance to respond, she added, "Oh, my name is Lorelai."

Luke hissed in disapproval when she so carelessly revealed her name.

Lorelai rolled her eyes and pushed on his leg to move him out of the way. "I'm, uh, not from around here. I live in a tiny town in Connecticut. We're just visiting." She glanced up at Luke's groan of protest and narrowed her eyes in warning.

"Who're you visiting?" the boy asked curiously.

Lorelai smiled. "I meant the city. We're just visiting the city."

"Oh. Well, the Statue of Liberty is thataway," he said, pointing in the opposite direction.

Her smile warmed. "I think I'd rather stay right here."

Both Luke and the young boy frowned in confusion. Lorelai stood up and brushed the dirt from her knee. "Do you think you could you take us inside?"

"I don't know what kind of tourist book you guys got suckered into buying, but there's really nothin' to see in there." He hopped down from the crate and pulled the door open. "But I guess if you really wanna…." he trailed off, leading them inside.

The interior of the shelter made the exterior look like a palace. Paint peeled from grime-covered walls, the wooden floorboards were loose in some places and missing altogether in others, and the few beds shoved against those grimy walls were wrapped in frayed wool blankets. The musty scent of mildew made Lorelai's stomach churn.

Most of the occupants were hovering at the long buffet-style table at the opposite end of the room to get their lunch. An older woman appeared from the middle of the chaos, wearing a tweed business suit that had seen better days and a name tag on the lapel of her jacket.

She made a beeline for the visitors as soon as she laid eyes on them. "Hi there!" she said, extending her hand first to Lorelai then to Luke. "I'm Betty Parcher, the temporary housing director. Is there anything I can help you with?" She patted the young boy on the head and said, "I see you've met Matthew."

"Yes, we've met Matthew," Lorelai replied, shooting the blushing boy a wink.

The three adults watched in amusement as Matthew took off toward the buffet table without another word.

"So what brings you two to our humble abode?" Betty spoke facetiously.

Lorelai smiled. "Well, it was kind of a spur of the moment thing," she answered honestly. "I've recently come into some money, and I was wondering if–"

"We," Luke interrupted her, crossing his arms over his chest.

"_We_ were wondering," Lorelai corrected, instantly warming at the realization that Luke had been on the same page with her all along, "if we could donate to the shelter."

Betty's eyes lit up. "That would be wonderful! Any amount of money is so greatly appreciated." Her enthusiasm dwindled slightly as she asked leadingly, "So you've come into some money, have you?"

Lorelai could appreciate how a person like Betty might be skeptical of this situation – two strangers waltzing into the shelter, offering money that came from god knows where with no strings attached.

"Yes, and it's all legit, I swear." Lorelai cleared her throat and spoke in her best Tony Montana voice, "In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women."

Betty stared at Lorelai questioningly, and Luke quickly interjected. "In other words, she won the lottery," he explained.

"Oh, how fabulous!" Betty said, thrilled. "Congratulations!"

"What about beds?" Luke asked suddenly, earning a surprised look from both women. "Uh, it just looks like you could use a few more beds, I mean."

"Yes, we most certainly could." Betty leaned in closer and lowered her voice. "Truth be told, our shelter is one of the last on the list when it comes to government support. We somehow muddle through, though, thanks in large part to the kindness of strangers. It's people like you who allow us to keep operating on a daily basis."

Lorelai nodded quietly, just trying to absorb everything. She glanced at Luke, then back to Betty. "Well, first things first, I think we need to go on a little bed-buying spree. Whaddya say, Luke?"

"Lead the way," he told her, smiling.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Nicole's high heels clicked noisily on the stairs leading up to the diner. She paused outside of the door, eyeing the flurry of activity inside. One thing she hated about venturing into Luke's place of business was the sheer volume of townspeople that seemed to practically reside there. Taking a calming breath, she pushed open the door, half expecting all attention to swing toward her. It almost disappointed her when the habitual patrons remained oblivious to her presence.

She walked to the counter, drumming her freshly manicured fingernails impatiently on the hard surface. Craning her neck, she peeked into the kitchen, hoping to spot Luke but coming up empty. Her next best guess was upstairs. Just as she brushed the curtain aside, she overheard the conversation from the nearest table and paused.

Babette, Miss Patty, and Gypsy huddled closely together, feasting on gossip. Nicole was shocked to see that even the mechanic enjoyed partaking in the town's obsession.

Patty glanced up and took quick notice of Nicole, a devilish smile on her face. She raised her voice a speck louder for their eavesdropper's benefit. "Did you ladies hear about Luke's generous donation to the Dragonfly Inn?"

Babette's eyes widened. "Generous donation? What the heck do they need his money for?"

Patty chuckled. "Babette, sweetheart, I'm quite certain that Luke's interests lie more in the owner than the inn itself."

"Where is Mr. Generous, anyway?" Gypsy griped impatiently. "I've been waiting ten minutes for my grilled cheese."

Subtly confirming that she still had Nicole's attention, Patty continued, "I'm sure I heard that he and Lorelai took a day trip to New York City."

Nicole's posture visibly stiffened. Blinking hard, she braced herself and approached the table of women. "How sure are you?" she asked Patty sharply, not even bothering with the usual forced pleasantries.

Patty feigned surprised upon seeing Nicole and answered unapologetically, "Oh, I'd be willing to bet the farm on it."

"So much for our lunch date," Nicole grumbled, storming away from the table and right out the door again.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Martin happily picked up his favourite passengers and drove them the fifteen blocks to a mattress factory outlet. Lorelai jumped right back into a new game of Cash Cab without missing a beat, and Luke just shook his head and stared out the window, attempting to hide his amusement when Martin enthusiastically played along.

Fourteen minutes later they stood outside the mattress store. The entrance was a revolving door, which Lorelai excitedly pointed out to Luke. On her fifth time around, he jerked it to a stop, forcing her into the building.

"Have you ever thought about installing a revolving door in the diner, Luke?" she asked, wobbling slightly.

"Sure. Right after I put in the escalator," he deadpanned.

Lorelai's eyes immediately landed on a round bed with a bright red comforter, just screaming to be touched. She dashed toward it and grasped fistfuls of the downy fabric. "Mmm, I'm so getting one of these," she murmured.

"Do you have a round bed?"

She shrugged. "Well, maybe I'll get one of those too."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Who the hell sleeps in a round bed?"

"Rule breakers, renegades, and rebels without a cause," Lorelai answered.

"Let's think about the shelter first, then we can go shopping for you."

She frowned. "Okay, spoilsport."

They continued walking through the store, stopping periodically to examine a mattress more closely.

"You know," Lorelai began, "I can tell whether a mattress is going to be comfortable or not based on its appearance alone."

Luke smirked. "You can, huh? And how do you do that?"

"It's like a sixth sense. I see bed people." She ignored Luke's groan and nodded to the nearest mattress. "That one right there? Stiff as a board."

He glanced at her dubiously, needing to test it to be sure. Luke bent down to feel it and chuckled. "Lucky guess." Gesturing behind them, he said, "What about that one?"

"Oooh, that looks nice," she remarked, moving closer. "Maybe a bit squishy, though." Slowly she eased herself onto it, and her eyes widened when the bed seemed to swallow her like quick sand. "Yep, definitely too squishy, but ohhh." She closed her eyes and moaned. "I don't think I can get up. Just leave me here, Luke. You go on without me. I can't leave Squiggy."

He sighed as she curled herself into a ball and moaned again. "Will you get up?" he hissed. "You look ridiculous."

Lorelai opened her eyes into slits. "Am I making you uncomfortable? Get down here, baby," she teased, patting the mattress. "You'll never be uncomfortable again."

A salesperson joined them before Lorelai had a chance to embarrass Luke any further. "Hello there, my name is Ian. How can I assist you today?" the tall, beanpole-thin employee asked, his voice cracking on nearly every syllable.

"You can get this woman a muzzle for starters," Luke said, pointing to Lorelai.

"A cup of coffee and a pillow would be nice," Lorelai answered at the same time.

Ian swallowed nervously. "Um, I can show you some other mattresses."

Lorelai smirked. "I guess that'll have to do." She held out her arms helplessly, smiling when Luke eventually gave in and hoisted her to her feet.

Ten more mattresses were presented, and all were flat out rejected by Lorelai. Then she saw it - the Holy Grail of mattresses. She knew instantly they'd found a winner, but that didn't stop her from crash landing on it to acquaint herself with the chosen one.

"This is it!" she enthused. 'This is the one, Luke. It's perfect."

After much prodding, she managed to get Luke to join her. Lorelai turned on her side and anxiously awaited his verdict.

He sat up and shrugged. "It's comfortable."

"That's all you have to say?" she demanded.

"What else am I supposed to say? It's a mattress."

"A little enthusiasm would be nice, wouldn't it, Monty?" Lorelai murmured consolingly to the mattress. "Okay, Ian, we're sold. We'll take a hundred."

Ian paled. "A hundred?" he croaked. Lorelai nodded. "One hundred? Wow, okay, um … Let me go talk to my boss." He scurried away, leaving a trail of sweat behind him.

Lorelai smirked, sitting up next to Luke. "Jeez, you'd think no one ever came in here and bought a hundred mattresses before."

"Yeah, this isn't weird at all," Luke muttered.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Lorelai pulled up to the curb outside of the diner later that night and turned off the engine. "I still can't get over the look on Betty's face," she mused. "God, that felt so good."

"It did," Luke agreed, smiling wide.

She turned to face him and raised her eyebrows challengingly. "I dare you to try and top that."

He smirked. "Oh, I'll top it. Meet me here tomorrow morning."

"You're on," she said, beaming. "Save a danish for me."

Luke nodded, reaching for his door handle. He turned back to her, and they shared a long look that Lorelai had no intention of being the first to break. Fortunately, Luke was there to do it for her. "Goodnight, Lorelai," he said softly, pushing the door open.

"Goodnight, Luke."

She watched him walk away and enter the dimly-lit diner, knowing that nothing in the world could ruin this perfect day. As she drove the remaining distance to her home, she hummed quietly, feeling light as a feather. When she pulled into her driveway, her heart fell to the pit of her stomach, and everything changed in an instant. Jason's car was parked in front of her.

"Oh boy." She sighed. "There goes my perfect day."

_TBC…._


	7. Among The Very Young At Heart

_A/N: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I know it's been a terribly long time since I've updated, but I've been super duper busy with school and such, so that's my excuse. This chapter would not exist without __**Mags**__. She helped me to plant the seed, she nurtured it, she fed and watered it, she hugged it, she tickled it, and then she joined me in celebrating its birth, which I invite you all to do now. :)_

_P.S. There are still two chapters to go. I thought I could do it in 8, but it just ain't possible. Enjoy!_

Lorelai climbed from her jeep and examined Jason's car more closely, expecting him to be waiting inside of it. Her heels clicked on porch steps. The door was unlocked and she pushed it open, frowning when she heard the buzz of her television set. She tossed her coat over the hook, slipped off her heels, and rounded the corner to the living room, her frown deepening when she noticed Jason sprawled out on her couch, a bottle of beer in his hand.

He seemed completely unfazed by her arrival. "Oh, hey," Jason said, finally tearing his gaze from the TV. He sat up a little and patted the cushion next to him. "I'm watching World Championship Darts," he explained. "You have no idea how riveting it is. It's like the Roman Coliseum in there. Those fans are nuts."

Lorelai cocked her head to the side and stared at him quizzically. "Did I give you a key to my place?"

Jason smiled sheepishly. "Uh, yes."

"Was it a talking key?"

He turned the volume down and leaned forward. "Mr. Turtle wasn't very talkative, no."

Lorelai's mouth opened in shock. "You stole my key?"

"Just for the record, that is a _really _bad hiding place."

"You stole my key!"

Jason held up his hand. "I _borrowed_ your key. A key that I think should have beengiven to me," he added boldly. "That's usually the way people do things. You give me yours, I give you mine."

"I can't believe he stole my key," Lorelai murmured to herself, ignoring the fact that Jason was still in the room.

"Lorelai, you're not an anonymous citizen anymore. You can't be so blithe and carefree. The minute you posed for that picture in Rocky Hill, you became a public figure. People know you, which means they can track you and find out where you live. Hiding a key inside a turtle, although amusing, is not such a bright idea."

She scoffed in utter disbelief. "You steal my key, break into my house, and now you're _lecturing_ me?"

"Stuffing hundred dollar bills inside your pillow case is another issue we can discuss later," he continued, undeterred.

"Jason!" Lorelai cried, stomping her foot. "What the hell were you doing in my bedroom?"

"I was tired." He shrugged. "I took a nap."

"How long have you been here?" she demanded.

Jason glanced at his watch. "Um, about six hours and … forty-two minutes."

Lorelai sat on the arm of the couch and shook her head. "Please tell me what you've been doing in my house for nearly seven hours," she said with as much patience as she could muster.

"Well, for the first hour there was a lot of channel surfing. I had no idea there were so many channels."

"You need to watch more TV," Lorelai interjected.

"And after I'd been here for an hour, I figured that was a commitment, so I just stayed. Then the darts came on, and I'm sorry, but I get more than a little excited when those large, perspiring men hit a triple 20."

"You are a sick man," she said, suppressing the urge to reward him with a grin when she felt like strangling him at the same time.

"I really didn't expect you to be out so late on a Sunday. I mean, it's a Sunday. Who does stuff on a Sunday?"

"Uh, the _world_," Lorelai shot back. "You should know. I've witnessed you making business calls to … um … Singapore and, uh, Slllllovenia on a Sunday."

"Yes, I save all the 'S' countries for Sunday," Jason agreed, playing along.

"This is so not the point," Lorelai said, looking at him seriously. "We need to make some things clear. You do not waltz into my house, take over my TV, and drink my beer without my permission. Is that understood?" Jason nodded. "And if I want to give you a key, I will give you a key. I will not be key bullied."

He readjusted himself and turned to face her completely. "I just have one thing to say." When Lorelai nodded in encouragement, he continued. "I am a great key master. Honestly. I have excellent references to support that claim. I don't lose them, I don't copy them, and I don't give them to strangers. I walk with them, I talk with them, and I keep them nice and polished."

"You might be the key master, but I'm the gate keeper here, got it?" She punctuated her point with a poke to his chest.

"Can I call you Zuul?"

She smiled, rolling her eyes. "Just give me the remote, you weirdo."

He relinquished it, patting the cushion next to him again, this time with her compliance. They watched TV in silence for several minutes before Jason said, "May I see your storage facility?"

Lorelai snorted. "No." Her eyes moved back to the television. "And don't even think about sliming me."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Luke closed the door behind him, muffling the click of the latch with his hand. The tinkle of Nicole's laughter echoed from upstairs, and he had to force himself not to cringe.

He unlaced his boots and left them by the door, then climbed the steps, pausing on each one to shake the memory of Lorelai's sparkling smile from his mind. He was beginning to think that all those people who said 'money can't buy happiness' were a bunch of liars, or they'd never met Lorelai Gilmore. Luke found himself looking forward to each and every day, something he'd never done in the past, just to see what new and exciting exploits she could rook him into.

Once he hit the landing, he waited outside Nicole's door – he still couldn't call the room his own – and knocked lightly.

She squeaked out another laugh and said, "Oh, come on in."

Luke rolled his eyes and entered the bedroom, stopping by the foot of the bed with his arms folded over his chest.

"I will. You too. Goodbye, Preston," Nicole murmured softly and ended the call. Her eyes flew up to Luke's. "That was Preston."

"Yeah, I got that part," Luke grumbled. "Who the heck is Preston? Not another one of your designer guys, is he?"

"No, Luke," Nicole replied patiently. "Don't you remember Preston? From the cruise? He's been giving me some wonderful financial advice. He's such an intelligent man. I've just been picking his brain."

"I'm sure you have."

Nicole pursed her lips. "Well, not that it's any of your concern. You're too busy blowing off our lunch engagement to spend hours in New York City, a place you supposedly hate, with _her_."

Luke opened his mouth to speak but no words would come out.

"What's the matter, Luke?" Nicole hissed. "Cat got your tongue?"

"I don't go there for the atmosphere," Luke argued.

"No, for the company," she interjected. "Besides, I'm sure you don't see much of the city anyway when you're holed up in a hotel room."

He shook his head in utter disbelief. "We're helping people out; we're doing good things! I can't believe you would accuse me of that!" His hands balled into fists and fell to his side.

Nicole kept a wary eye on the movement. "Was your generous donation to the Dragonfly not 'good' enough?"

Luke squeezed his eyes shut. He felt the room closing in on him.

"You go running all over the city, spending money left, right, and centre, and you have a the gall to lecture me when I spend a little money on some furniture."

"A _little_ money? I'm sure you've doubled whatever I've spent!" He paced the floor, breathing heavily.

"Not only are you spending all our money," she continued, but you're spending far too much time with a woman you claim is just a friend! By the time I see you, you're much too _spent_ to spend any time with me!

"She _is _just a friend!" he barked.

"And I don't want you seeing her anymore," Nicole asserted, leaving no room for misinterpretation. She stalked into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

The walls pressed in on him further until he couldn't breathe. Luke whipped the ball cap from his head and tossed it angrily at the wall. She was making him choose, but little did she know there was no choice in the matter.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

_The pavement shook as the giant, marshmallow-y blob thundered through the tiny town of Stars Hollow. The gazebo crumbled beneath his sticky feet. He let out a hungry growl, his round cartoon eyes glued to a figure below. With his chubby, little hands, he scooped up the stick-like object and brought it to his awaiting mouth, munching greedily and grimacing at the less than pleasing flavour._

"_Nicole!" came a desperate shout from below. "Noooooo!"_

_Mr. Stay Puft reared back, soundly rejecting his meal. A pool of marshmallow fell from his lips, a body encased in its gooey confines. _

"_Nicole!" Luke shouted again, racing to her aid but drawing up short when he realized the substance that surrounded her. "Oh god," he choked out, turning away in disgust. "I'm sorry, Nicole. You know I can't handle sugar."_

_Lorelai rushed to Luke's side, wrapping a warm blanket around his shoulders while she practically dragged him away from his marshmallow-fied wife. "It's okay, Luke," she murmured, still pulling him along. "She'll find love again. I hear Lucky the Leprechaun is in the market." _

_They entered the diner. Luke habitually circled the counter and grabbed a mug for her._

_She held up her hand to stop him from pouring the coffee. "I feel like hot chocolate instead," she insisted, ineffectually hiding her smirk._

_Outside the bonfire hissed and crackled as the Stars Hollow residents gathered around its warming glow. Kirk passed out the marshmallow roasting sticks to all the children, keeping the biggest and the best for himself. His eyes widened in amazement upon spotting the mountain of marshmallow towering where the gazebo once stood. He dove for it, jabbing an absurd amount onto his stick. Nicole's screams of protest were drowned out by the thick, gooey substance coating her body and the boisterous children who followed Kirk's lead. Soon, nothing remained but a few tattered pieces of clothing. _

_Luke darted outside, Lorelai on his heels, but he was too late. _

_Kirk hummed in pure elation as he took a healthy bite of his thoroughly charred marshmallow, exposing a gooey smile._

_Marshmallow debris shot off the other roasting sticks. A chunk landed on Luke's face and he groaned in protest. _

"_Oh, be quiet, you big baby," Lorelai admonished, licking the dissolving sugary remnants of his wife from his scruffy cheek. _

_Taylor circled the bonfire, scalping Hershey's bars to the children at two bucks a pop and waving boxes of graham crackers in the air. _

_Patty shook her head. "That's highway robbery, Taylor! You should be ashamed of yourself!"_

_Andrew shrugged. "It's supply and demand. Taylor is a businessman – maybe not a moral one, but a businessman nonetheless." _

_Gypsy glanced upward and stared pointedly at the Marshmallow Man's still looming presence. "If you want a tip on where to get your next meal, start with the guy in the vest," she called up to him in a no-nonsense voice. _

"_It's mine, all mine!" Taylor crowed, clutching the dollar bills to his chest._

"_He's mine, all mine." Lorelai happily sighed, pressing closer to Luke's side and tucking her arm into the crook of his. _

Lorelai's head snapped up and her fingers gripped the bed sheets. Her heart rate gradually slowed as she came back to the present. "Whoa," she whispered, the events of the dream still clear in her mind. "God, I'm starving."

She tiptoed quietly down the stairs, being careful not to wake Jason whom she'd left sprawled on the couch last night. What she saw when she walked past him made her giggle. He was flat on his stomach, his teeth sinking into the snowy-white pillow case while he moaned.

"Marshmallows for breakfast it is," Lorelai quietly determined, marching into the kitchen.

About an hour later they were pulling out of Lorelai's driveway on their way to the diner for a more substantial breakfast. Jason insisted on tagging along, but that wasn't the only thing that was nagging at Lorelai. There was no doubt in her mind that her dream had meant something. She knew she had feelings for Luke, and those feelings had been coming dangerously close to the surface of her consciousness from the moment they struck it rich. The donation to the Dragonfly, the dance along the dock, the deep, meaningful gazes they'd be sharing on a regular basis – all these signs pointed to a clear shift in their relationship. But there were obstacles….

Lorelai glanced at Jason out of the corner of her eye and sighed. His cell phone was pressed tightly to his ear while he animatedly attempted to communicate in Japanese with his caller.

There was no sense delaying the inevitable.

"Sayonara," she whispered, pulling into a parking spot outside of the diner.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Luke ducked out of the kitchen with two plates in his hands, smiling widely at Lorelai as she entered. His smile soon became a scowl when he noticed her male escort. Lorelai's pulse quickened at the sight.

"Here, grab that table there," Lorelai directed Jason. "I'll be right back."

She walked up to the counter and leaned her weight against it, waiting for Luke to return.

"Who's the guy?" his deep voice bellowed from behind her, causing her to jump. He rounded the counter with a smirk on his face.

Her hand still pressed to her heart. "That's, uh, Jason. He was really, really hungry," she added, as though that explained everything. "You know, the marshmallows didn't really, you know … They're nothing but air … Delicious, sugary air that, uh, people eat, and sometimes shouldn't eat…." She continued to ramble, unaware that she'd lost Luke's interest.

Luke's eyes moved from hers to Jason's to the object that was occupying Jason's attention. His eyes narrowed.

"Uh oh," Lorelai murmured as realization dawned. She raced to the opposite end of the counter to head Luke off, but there was no way she could stop this bull when he saw red.

"Out," he ordered Jason, jerking his thumb toward the door.

Jason glanced up, a panicked expression on his face. "Tetsudatte kudasai," he said urgently into the phone, repeating himself several times.

"What did you say?" Luke barked. "What the hell's he sayin' to me?" he asked Lorelai.

She shrugged. "Uh, something in Japanese? You have a lovely hat, maybe?"

Jason rose from his chair, holding his arms out to the side in surrender. "Did I choose the wrong seat? Is this the Mafia table?" Luke continued glowering at him. "No? Okay, I should be … wearing flannel, then?"

"Get him out of here now," Luke growled.

Lorelai inserted herself between the two men and promptly plucked Jason's cell phone from his outstretched hand, closing it and hiding it behind her back. "Give Mr. Chu my apologies," she said to Jason.

Luke blew out a breath and retreated, stomping back to the counter.

Jason released a similar breath, only one of relief as he slid back into his seat. "Was this a test? Is this my initiation into the diner?"

Lorelai grinned and sat across from him. "Luke hates cell phones." She cocked her head to the side. "So what were you saying, anyway?"

"I think it was 'Help me, I'm in danger.'"

Lorelai giggled. "I've never seen Luke hit quite that shade of red before. You should be proud."

"If a swarm of angry Japanese men with guns actually come to my aid, then I'll be proud," he told her seriously. "My Japanese is atrocious."

Lorelai patted his shoulder. "Oh, here comes Luke." She casually tossed his cell phone back to him, and Jason hurriedly stashed it in his pocket.

"You ordering anything?" Luke grunted.

Lorelai nodded enthusiastically. "I'll have scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, and toast. And throw in a pancake or two if you've got any lying around," she added with a wink.

Luke turned his attention to Jason and cleared his throat.

He smiled nervously and held up his menu, silently pointing to the items he desired.

Luke rolled his eyes, jotted down the order, and disappeared into the kitchen.

"Duke's not the type to, you know, spit in your food or anything, is he?" Jason asked once the coast was clear.

"Luke," Lorelai automatically corrected him, "and no. He might 'accidentally' char it a little more than you're used to, though."

"Are you sure you willingly shared your winnings with him, or did he…." He trailed off, slapping the back of his right hand into his left palm a couple times. "…influence you by force?"

"Yes, I _willingly _shared with him," she said, smiling in amusement. "I don't think Luke has spent any of that money on himself yet, either. Well, that all depends on what he has in mind for today."

"Today?" Jason sat up straighter. "Are you two doing something today?"

Lorelai bit her lip. "Uh, yeah. We made plans yesterday. I didn't realize you were–"

"Oh no, yeah, that's fine," he interrupted. "That's great. I have quite a few phone calls to make, and I need to get home in time for World Championship Darts."

She smirked. "Yes, you don't want to miss when those sweaty men hit the bullseye."

They were both quiet for a moment. Suddenly the bells jingled and half a dozen Japanese tourists entered the diner, toting travel brochures and cameras as they chattered noisily.

Jason's eyes widened in amazement. "Look! They came! Where's Duke? I'm ready for him now!" he warned in a menacing voice, pulling his cell phone from his pocket.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Luke was adamant that they take his truck for their third trip to New York City in as many days. If Lorelai didn't know any better, she would have thought the lure of the city had gotten a hold on Luke. The truck bed was covered with a large green tarp that was tied down on all sides, and more than once Lorelai took a backwards glance, hoping that an edge would fly up and reveal the hidden contents. They drove through the now familiar streets of the city and came to a stop outside of the Bleeker Street Shelter.

Lorelai looked at him curiously. "Do we have unfinished business here?" she asked, smiling in excitement.

"You could say that," he answered, climbing from the cab. He waved at the three cars parked in the distance and started walking over to them. "Go inside and round up all the kids," he instructed Lorelai after she opened her door and hopped to the ground. "Betty knows all about it. Meet me back out here in ten."

She grinned. "What exactly are you up to, Luke?" she said to herself as she followed his command and headed into the building.

Jackson, Morey, and Andrew exited their vehicles and walked the short distance to meet up with Luke.

"I can't thank you guys enough for doing this," Luke said, shaking their hands.

"We're happy to help," Jackson replied.

Morey nodded. "Doing this for the kids is way cool, Luke."

"I rented two Hummer limos which should be here shortly. All the kids should be able to squeeze into those." Luke glanced over his shoulder to the truck. "The equipment is in the back, so we're all set there." He rubbed his hands together. "I think this is gonna work out." A grin slowly spread from one corner of his mouth to the other.

Jackson patted Luke's back. "How about we head over to the field and start setting up?"

"Yeah," Andrew agreed. "I can take your truck over, Luke. I don't have any extra equipment in my car."

"Okay, sure, that sounds great," Luke said, tossing him the keys. "I'll go in one of the limos and Lorelai can take the other. We'll meet you guys over there."

Like clockwork, the moment the vehicles disappeared, the Hummers showed up, and out of the shelter doors came Lorelai with a couple dozen beaming kids in tow.

Lorelai's was the loudest voice in the bunch as she took in the sweet scenery. "Whoa! I am lovin' this idea already! I call shotgun!" she cried, sprinting for the nearest limo. Several giggling children chased behind her.

Luke smiled after them, taking the more responsible approach and quietly leading the remaining eager participants in the direction of the second limo.

Lorelai's limo – a.k.a.: the party-mobile – headed the convoy down the streets of New York City. She had no idea where they were going, but the excitement and the energy in the air was electric. They could have been taking a trip to the Gilmore mansion for all she knew, but not even that could kill her buzz. Her suggestion that they stop for ice cream was enthusiastically seconded, thirded, and twelfth-ded. Even Luke had a scoop, which served to propel Lorelai's buzz into uncharted territories.

When they finally pulled off and entered a parking lot, Lorelai sucked in a breath. A huge banner over the entrance to Yankee Stadium proudly displayed a welcome message to all the children of the Bleeker Street Shelter. "I don't believe it," she whispered. "How did he ever pull this off?"

Before the limos had fully stopped, the kids were climbing out the doors, racing through the lot and into the front gate. Luke and Lorelai pulled up the rear, chuckling at the scene.

"You have officially kicked my ass in the good deeds department, Danes," Lorelai told him, smiling.

He shrugged modestly. "Well, I can't take credit for the ice cream." He ushered her ahead as they entered the gate. "Jackson, Andrew, and Morey are already inside getting the equipment set up."

"Wow," Lorelai said, impressed. "Were they hiding under the tarp too, or was it just the equipment? 'Cause those boys sure didn't make a peep."

Once inside the stadium, they climbed down and then up a set of stairs that led them to the field. A loudspeaker welcomed them, but even louder still were the group of Stars Hollow citizens that had gathered on the infield.

"Oh jeez," Luke muttered, shaking his head.

Lorelai giggled. "I'm telling you, Luke, when you get Jackson involved in any scheme, you're doomed. He's got looser lips than Babette and Miss Patty combined."

"Now she tells me," he grumbled.

She nudged him in the ribs. "Look around. Do you see anything but smiling faces?"

He finally allowed himself to fully appreciate their surroundings, and he couldn't fight the smile that unfolded on his own face.

It didn't take long for two teams to be formed. Luke pitched for both sides, and Lorelai unsuspectingly volunteered to be the back catcher which amused the majority of her friends and neighbours, not to mention every kid on the field, especially after she was decked out in the obligatory gear.

Miss Patty was the third base coach, mainly because it came with an exceptional view of Luke's backside. Gypsy was the umpire, Morey, Bootsy, and Andrew covered the outfield with three of the kids, Kirk was in charge of the peanuts, and even Taylor stepped up, reading off the batting order. The remaining townspeople cheered loudly on the sidelines as the game progressed.

During the second inning, after laughing off Lorelai's absurd hand signals, Luke tossed a steady pitch that landed squarely in the strike zone. He made the mistake of admiring that pitch for a second too long.

"Ball!" Gypsy shouted, breaking through Luke's temporary haze.

"What?" he demanded. "You're kidding! That was a perfect strike!"

Dropping her oversized glove, Lorelai jumped to her feet and jogged out to Luke. "Easy there, ace," she consoled him, lifting her mask. "The idea is for the kids to actually hit the ball."

He frowned. "But that was a strike."

"I know," she soothed. "You're such a good baseball player man. Now slow it down, Nolan."

Luke's eyebrows raised in surprise.

She smirked. "I know things."

A pop fly in the fourth inning livened things up even more. It peaked halfway between Luke and Lorelai, and they both began moving for it at once. Their eyes were focused skyward, so neither were aware of the other's position until they gently collided, completely missing the ball. Luke loosely hugged Lorelai to him, and Lorelai tightly gripped his back, only letting go when he tipped her chin up and slowly raised her mask.

"Kinda hard to catch a ball when you can't see it," he said in a deep, husky voice.

She swallowed. "Good tip."

Miss Patty, Sookie, and Babette were glued to the action, all three women failing to contain their elation at the closeness of their favourite couple. A squeak slipped from Sookie, causing Lorelai to snap out of the spell Luke had put her under and abruptly pull back.

Patty and Babette moaned and groaned at the loss of contact, and Sookie apologized profusely, clamping a hand over her mouth.

Lorelai readjusted her mask – her safety barrier – and smirked at Luke through it. "Three more innings. Think that arm of yours can handle it?"

Luke chuckled as she sauntered away and called after her, "Hate to break it to you, but a baseball game has nine innings. There's still five to go."

Her eyes widened. Calmly, she turned to face him again and said, "Well, I'm afraid this is gonna cost you another round of ice cream." With that, she marched back to home plate and squatted down, waving him on.

_TBC…._


	8. For It's Hard To Be Narrow Of Mind

_A/N: Today, my dear friends, is a terribly exciting day! First off, not only do I have one brand spanking new chapter for you – I have TWO brand spanking new chapters! It was getting a bit epic in length so I made the executive decision to cut it down the middle. Hope you enjoy them both, but before you proceed, please know that what you are about to read wouldn't exist without __**Mags**__. She's the most amazing cheerleader, she's the best writing partner a girl could ever ask for, she's a phenomenal beta, and she's an incredible friend to boot! So I dedicate these chapters to __**Mags**__ – my favourite bunny! :)_

Luke's eyes blinked open and he groaned, anticipating the pain that was about to greet him. He'd fallen asleep in the living room of the Litchfield home, his body scrunched up on the stiff and uncomfortable couch.

Last night he'd felt better than he had in his entire life. He was happy, he was hopeful, and he couldn't wait for the sun to come up so Lorelai would follow through on her promise to top him. He smiled before he could stop himself, but when he felt the crick in his neck, the smile quickly faded.

Rising from the couch, he rubbed his strained muscles and heaved a deep sigh. He wanted to sleep in a bed – not in a single bed in a bachelor pad, and not on a fourteen-inch-thick foam mattress with a woman who was determined to disconnect him from everything important in his life. He wanted to come home to a place that actually felt like a home, filled with warm, cozy furniture and rich with memories.

Deciding to shower at his apartment, he grabbed his keys from the end table, slapped on his hat, and slipped into his boots he'd left at the door. He walked into the crisp morning air and finally he could breathe again.

Twenty minutes later he pulled into the alley beside the diner. The sun hadn't yet risen. Without looking at a watch he knew he had exactly thirty minutes of prep time until the early birds came knocking. He unlocked the door and locked it again behind him, making a beeline for the stairs. A fine layer of dust coated each step. The door to his apartment was slightly ajar. His forehead wrinkled in concern as he reached for the handle and pried it open all the way. A cloud of drywall dust met him on the other side.

"Oh jeez," he choked out, waving his hand through the murky air.

Once his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he located the light switch and nearly fell over. His apartment had been transformed into a construction zone. Plastic sheets lined the floor, tools of every shape and size ran from one end of the room to the other, and his furniture was noticeably and alarmingly absent. What he once called a bathroom was now a giant hole in the wall. Even his fridge had taken a field trip.

"So much for showering," Luke grumbled, his eyes narrowing into slits. He shook his head, frustration, anger, and disappointment battling for top billing in his emotional repertoire.

His heavy boots pounded down the stairs, leaving a trail of dust in their wake. He stormed out of the diner and onto the sidewalk. Leaning over, his hands gripped his knees. Probably the last person on earth that he wanted to see found him in this most vulnerable position.

"Luke?" Kirk asked softly, placing a gentle hand on his back and crouching down next to him. "Are you okay?"

Luke breathed heavily, his nostrils flaring. "Kirk," he said with as much restraint as he could muster, "don't touch me."

Kirk immediately withdrew his hand and stood up. A gust of wind swept through, rustling the folded newspapers that were clutched in his other hand.

Luke unfurled to his full height. "Gimme the paper," he demanded.

"Okay," Kirk immediately conceded, shoving the entire stack at Luke.

"Just_ one_," Luke groused, separating a single newspaper from the pile.

The image on the front page stared back at him, forming a knot in his gut. The headline read: **"Lotto Robin Hoods"**. Directly beneath it was a picture of Lorelai and Luke in a tangle at the pitcher's mound while a swarm of laughing children circled around them.

He couldn't help but smile at her beautiful face, still evident behind a catcher's mask. His smile made the knot coil tighter.

He turned to Kirk, panic written in his features. "Has anyone seen this yet?"

Kirk shook his head. "It's hot off the press. I wanted you and Lorelai to be the first to see it."

"Listen, this is gonna sound crazy, but I need you to shred these. All of them. And don't print any more."

"But…." Kirk pressed the remaining newspapers tightly to his chest. "You don't like the picture? Trust me, it was the best one of you. You're not exactly what we call 'photogenic' in the biz."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Kirk, I need you to do this for me, okay? The Stars Hollow Gazette can live without intruding on my life for one lousy day."

"But I don't have another cover story," Kirk argued. "I wanted to save 'The Truth About Bunions' for next week." Luke groaned. "I thought, I mean, you guys are doing really good things. This is good publicity. I don't understand–"

"Nicole and I are … having some marital problems. Just … I don't want her to see this, okay?"

"So it's Nicole's fault," Kirk determined.

"It's nobody's fault," Luke insisted, unwilling to delve any further into his issues. "Can you please do this for me?"

Kirk sighed, staring forlornly at the papers in his hand. "Fine," he relented. "But you owe me for this." Luke nodded. "Free Monte Cristos for a week."

"Fine," Luke agreed. "Just get it done."

"Starting now," Kirk continued.

Rolling his eyes, Luke trudged back up the steps to the entrance of his establishment. "I'll have one waiting for you when you get rid of those newspapers."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Kirk watched as Luke returned into the diner and began his opening ritual. Although he'd made a verbal agreement with Luke, a part of him was unsettled by it all. First and foremost he was disappointed in himself. He should have held out for more. Luke was a rich man now and he could certainly afford more than a weeks worth of deep-fried ham, turkey, and swiss artery-clogging goodness as payment for getting rid of the evidence. Kirk was very proud of his front page article featuring the Inn owner and her flannel-clad counterpart. But underneath it all, he was a man of his word. He held his chin high, turned on his heel, and started toward the Gazette headquarters.

Before he'd made it three steps, a tall, handsome man strolled by wearing a sleek brown leather jacket. Kirk couldn't help but gawk at him. The coat fit him perfectly and made his masculine frame appear all the more masculine.

Less than a minute later, a man and woman exited Doose's and crossed the street. She had on a leather jacket in a rich red hue that clung to her every curve. He wore a long leather jet-black blazer that oozed confidence.

Kirk glanced at his gangly figure in the storefront window adjacent to him. He closed his eyes, imagining himself draped in buttery leather, the vision bringing a smile to his face.

_Lulu would love it. _

He quickly reversed directions and headed back to the diner, anxious to ask Luke's opinion on the subject. That's when he saw her – Nicole Leahy – barrelling toward the diner with a steely expression on her face. The tiny brown leather jacket that encased her petite frame made Kirk think twice about the fabric he'd fallen in love with mere seconds ago. It appeared stiff and rigid, much like the woman herself.

"Easy there," a voice called from behind him. "Not too heavy. I think two coats'll do."

Kirk spun around and noticed John and Harvey Winslow painting their window trim. The two brothers owned the 'Bear Essentials' shop a few stores down from Luke's. It was full of knick-knacks and trinkets treasured by townspeople and tourists alike.

They stepped inside briefly, abandoning their lone can of scarlet-red paint.

Kirk's gaze shifted to the street. Lorelai's Jeep – no doubt on its way to the inn – was stopped at the lights. She smiled and waved to him through her window. His eyes fell to the newspapers still tucked in his hand. One final glance at Nicole's leather jacket pushed him over the edge.

He licked his lips and made a break for it. Snatching the deserted paint can, he sprinted for Nicole and flung the entire contents at the gaping woman. The thick liquid oozed down the front of her coat. Spatters of red dotted her face. One large blob clung to the tip of her nose and dripped steadily to the sidewalk below. Her nostrils flared, shooting stray paint particles into the air. A low, deep growl sounded from her parted lips.

"What did you do that for?" she demanded through clenched teeth.

Kirk winced. "For, uh … For the animals!" he shouted with forced bravery.

Nicole dove for the newspapers in his hand and pulled one free before he could stop her, attempting to absorb some of the mess. "Excuse me?"

"Leather jackets are made from tanned animal hides. You're an animal killer!"

"At least four other people just walked by wearing leather coats!" she cried, flailing her arms out to the side.

Kirk shrugged. "Huh. Guess I didn't see them."

She sighed, shaking off the excess paint from the newspaper and bringing it closer to her face. The red that had dried to the front page served to only highlight what was already a glaring image of two people she'd tried everything in her power to keep apart. She quite literally saw red.

Swallowing back the bile that had risen in her throat, she asked, "When was this picture taken?"

"Yesterday."

Nicole folded the paper in half, unable to look at the offensive photo any longer. Streaks of paint continued to drip down her torso creating an abstract effect on the sidewalk. Her heart slammed into her ribs in time with the relentless rhythm. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for something she knew was inevitable, but that didn't make it any easier to digest. Inhaling deeply, she pivoted on her heel and marched up the steps to the diner, a carpet of red trailing behind her rather than in front.

The bells clamoured and Luke poked his head out of the kitchen. His eyes widened. For a brief moment he forgot about the demolition upstairs and focused on the woman in front of him who looked as though she'd had an entire round of paint balls fired at her from point blank range.

"What the hell happened to you?" he blurted.

Her eyes met his, narrow and piercing. "Kirk happened," she gritted out.

Luke rounded the counter, towel in hand. Concern was etched in his features. He stopped just inches away from her when she thrust the paper, still drenched in blood-red, in his face.

"This is your idea of not seeing her?" Nicole hissed.

He batted the paper away and squared his shoulders. If she wanted a fight, she was damn well getting a fight. "We had plans," Luke growled. "I wasn't about to break them just because you were going through some kind of crazy jealousy fit."

"Crazy, huh?" she said derisively. "The only thing crazy is your insistence that there's nothing going on between you two. The only thing crazy is that I actually believed you! I trusted you." She shook her head sadly. "I'm the crazy one."

Luke's jaw tightened. It took everything in his power to rein in his anger to a lawful level. "You trusted me?" He snorted. "You have never once trusted me when it comes to Lorelai – you know it, and I know it! She has been a taboo subject ever since our first date." Nicole rolled her eyes. "You can deny it all you want, but it's true."

"Can you blame me?" she cried. "I should have known then what I was getting myself into!"

"You're out of your mind."

"I thought maybe when you agreed to buy the Litchfield house with me - maybe we could make this work. Maybe with a little distance between you two, you'd finally see me again."

Luke stared out the front window, frowning at Kirk's face plastered to the glass. "So us moving in together was just some elaborate plot?"

"I wanted to have a real marriage with you!" Nicole argued. "Not some farce of a relationship with us living separate lives in separate towns."

"Well, you got your wish," he bit out, stomping to the window and yanking the blinds closed. "I don't have any other place to live now! You destroyed my apartment!" He spun around and advanced on her, feeling a sharp jolt of pleasure when her eyes widened. "I'm not going to stop seeing her."

She smiled smugly. "Then you proved me right all along." Using the newspaper as a shield, she pushed against his chest and ducked around him. "You can do whatever the hell you want. I'm done."

"Great." Luke sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

"I'll have the divorce papers drawn up this afternoon." With that, she slipped through the door, dropped the newspaper into the nearest trash can, and disappeared from sight.

If he had even one ounce of fight left in him, he would have chased after her. But the fight had abandoned him, and in its place was an undeniable surge of relief. Luke inhaled slowly, running his hand along his stubbled jaw. A timid knock stole his attention.

A tiny smirk quirked the corners of his mouth. He walked over to the door and pulled it open, inviting Kirk in with a wave of his hand.

"I'm sorry, Luke. I was gonna get rid of the newspapers, but I–"

Luke cut his babbling short by wrapping a warm hand around his shoulder. "Kirk, anything you want, buddy - it's on the house."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The day passed by in a blur for Lorelai. The mountain of invoices that dwarfed her desk in the morning had been reduced by half once the afternoon hit. As a reward to herself, she decided to call it quits around three and take a nice, long bubble bath to soothe her stiff muscles. She paused halfway down the front porch steps and turned to admire the transformation of this inn – her inn. A surge of pride rushed through her body. With a spring in her step, she continued her decent. Her face was lit by a dazzling smile as she slid into her Jeep and pressed her foot to the gas pedal.

There was another reason she wanted to skip out early today. She was expecting a delivery. She took a shortcut home, bypassing the town square but vowing to pay a visit to her favourite diner for a burger before bed.

After haphazardly parking the Jeep, she all but sprinted through her front door. She tossed her coat over the hook, dropped her purse and keys on the hall table, and pressed the answering machine button to listen for messages while she padded into the kitchen and swiped a package of Pop Tarts from the cupboard. Lorelai munched and moaned in ecstasy as the crumbs of the first real sustenance she'd had all day dissolved on her tongue. When the last of the phone messages finished playing – the final one featuring Kirk and his newest service: house-sitting for millionaires – she slipped out of her heels and climbed the stairs, heading straight for the bathroom.

Minutes later Lorelai was submerged in deliciously sizzling water, an explosion of bubbles coating her entire body in foamy white. She sighed, resting her head against the edge of the tub and closing her eyes. The clock in the hall chimed the half-hour. In thirty minutes she'd have her prize. She breathed deeply, inhaling the scent of peaches and cream.

The heat from the water formed tiny beads of perspiration on her forehead and made other parts of her tingle in awareness. Suddenly Lorelai felt solid, muscular arms bracing her. Tangy, woodsy cologne mixed with the peaches creating an intoxicating aroma. She could hear his heart beating in time with hers as they turned in circles on the floor, dancing so close, their cheeks pressed together.

"Oh, Luke," she murmured, sinking lower into the tub.

A heavy knock at the front door caused her to jolt upright. "Crap," Lorelai hissed, forcing her relaxed limbs into action. She pulled the plug and stepped from her heated haven with a pout. After quickly donning her slippers and fastening her terrycloth robe, she made a beeline for the stairs.

She scrunched the wet ends of her hair and yanked open the door with a giddy grin on her face. "This isn't exactly the outfit I planned on wearing to welcome the Crap Shack's newest family member, but I figure Hugh Hefner would approve…." Lorelai trailed off when she noticed that in place of a delivery man stood a very amused and curious Jason Stiles.

"Jason," she uttered in surprise, subconsciously cinching the belt on her robe tighter.

"I take it you weren't expecting me."

She bit her lip. "Uh, no. Just some delivery guys."

"Pizza?" Jason asked, cautiously crossing a foot over the threshold.

"No," she answered evasively, moving away from the door in a soundless invitation for him to enter.

"Well, could it be pizza? I'm starving," he confessed, following her into the living room.

Lorelai smiled and sat on the arm of the couch. "You skip out early too?"

Jason nodded as he collapsed onto the center cushion. "I had meetings all morning. I told your dad I was gonna spend the afternoon brushing up on my Mandarin. Apparently when I thought I was saying 'contracts', I was actually saying 'gonerrhea', and they didn't want me to Fed-Ex that to them."

"Dirty." She giggled. "I'm glad Richard gave you the go-ahead."

He glared at her. "Don't laugh. Your father scares me sometimes. But your mother scares me more."

"Well, Adolf and Eva usually have that effect on people."

Jason twiddled his thumbs for a moment, staring silently ahead. "You still haven't told them about us yet, have you?"

Lorelai exhaled slowly and stood up, sliding onto the cushion next to him. "Jason, I … I think we need to talk about us…."

A heavy fist pounded on the front door and both their heads swivelled in that direction.

"Sorry," she said, patting Jason's thigh as she rose again. "This shouldn't take too long."

Curious, he trailed behind her, pausing before he reached the foyer.

The door opened to reveal two strapping young men in blue and white pinstriped uniforms. Lorelai signed for the delivery and waited impatiently for the boys to extract the extremely large and awkward object from the back of their truck.

"What's that?" Jason asked, his nosy head poking through the open doorway.

"It's a bed," Lorelai replied nonchalantly.

"It's round. Is it Hugh Hefner's bed?"

She rolled her eyes, nudging him out of the way so the grunting men could enter. The mattress came in two pieces, so they were able to squeeze it through the narrow opening without too much difficulty.

Jason examined the mattress more closely as it was expertly carried past him, nodding in appreciation. "This is great," he remarked. "No more fighting over which side is which."

Lorelai stared at him pointedly. "We've never fought about sides because we don't actually sleep together."

Both delivery men paused midstride, clearly picking up on the conversation.

"Uh, not like that," Jason said, speaking specifically to the mattress movers. "We're definitely sleeping together. We're just not sleeping together."

"Jason!" Lorelai hissed, her cheeks burning in embarrassment.

The taller of the two men cleared his throat. "Um, where would you like us to…?"

"Oh! Right upstairs, first door on your left," Lorelai said. "I have another mattress up there. They said you could take that one away?"

"Sure. No problem. We'll get that out of your way first, then we'll set this other one up."

They both squatted down, propped the half-moon-shaped mattress against the archway, and hurried upstairs.

"I should see if they need some help," Jason said, nervously backing away from Lorelai.

She grabbed him by the shoulders and pinched hard. "You. Sit," she ordered, pushing him back onto the couch. She sat on the coffee table across from him and took a deep breath.

"You know, I could actually reconsider the whole sleeping arrangement thing with that mattress. This is like a mattress epiphany. A round mattress … It's like sleeping in your own private little mattress world.

"Jason."

"Seriously, we'll give it a shot. I'll wear my solar system pyjamas. We could have a lava lamp on the bedside table and a disco ball hanging from the ceiling."

She shook her head, biting back a smile. "Jason."

"I can really see this working," he continued, undeterred. "I mean, the bed comes in two halves. It's like a secret gift to insomniacs everywhere."

"Jason, stop." When his eyes met hers, she placed a gentle hand on his knee. "This isn't about making room for each other in our beds; it's about making room for each other in our lives." He nodded, opening his mouth to respond, but she quickly covered it with the hand that was on his knee. "You gave me a key, Jason. And I … I couldn't reciprocate because … Well, I thought it was because I wasn't ready, but I'm not sure I'll ever be ready."

His eyes lowered to the floor and her heart broke. "I care about you. A lot. I enjoy spending time with you. You make me laugh." She freed his mouth and pressed one finger to the bottom of his chin, lifting his head. "You make me laugh," Lorelai said again, more emphatically this time. "Maybe more than any guy I've ever known."

"But that's not enough," Jason said quietly, as if answering her unspoken question.

"I wish it was," she told him genuinely. "Things are so complicated with us, Jason." Her palms smoothed the soft fabric of her robe against her thighs.

"You're wearing a robe."

She arched one of her eyebrows. "You just noticing that?"

He shrugged. "I've never broken up with anyone in a robe before."

"Yeah, it's new to me too." Lorelai ran her fingertips over the lapels of her terrycloth ensemble. "Hey, maybe I'm part of a robe family."

"Well, I'd rather hug you in your robe than Richard."

Lorelai giggled as she stood, urging Jason up with her. "I'm a much better hugger," she told him. "Less clingy." Pulling him close, she wrapped her arms around his neck and relaxed into his embrace.

"You sure we can't work it out?" Jason whispered into her hair.

Her lips quirked into a grin. "Try to see it my way. Do I have to keep on talking 'til I can't go on?"

Jason shook his head, smiling. "Using the Beatles against me. Cruel, cruel woman."

The distinctive rumble of two men and a mattress sounded from the landing. Lorelai and Jason turned their heads at the same time and watched as they descended the stairs.

The taller, clearly more verbose of the two spoke again, eying the hugging duo suggestively. "Uh, the bed'll be ready in a minute," he said, shooting them a wink while they passed by.

Jason raised his eyebrows at Lorelai, but she quickly pulled back from him, laughter edging her words. "Don't even think about it."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Nicole was gracious enough to pack and park Luke's matching duffel bags on the curb outside the diner - a blatant sign marking the deterioration of their relationship. The stack of newspapers that didn't quite make it to the incinerator made it into the hands of every gossip-driven townsperson instead. Luke was relieved that Lorelai hadn't been there to witness his shining moment when he soundly ejected three patrons for whispering their theories too loudly.

When afternoon hit, anger and resentment were overshadowed by fear and uncertainty. A man who'd married on a whim was now facing a divorce just as swift. It was a scar he was ashamed to bear. But if he was honest with himself, it wasn't entirely unexpected. If he was honest with himself, he had seen and felt the signs of destruction from the moment he said 'I do', but he didn't want to admit his mistake. If he was honest with himself, he knew that he was mostly to blame.

The dinner rush ended later than usual and Luke opted to close up for the night instead of tempting fate, or, more specifically, Kirk. Having gone an entire day without seeing Lorelai was unusual given their routine as of late. He missed her. He missed her smile – a smile completely unique to her – one that made his pulse quicken and warmed him to the tips of his toes. He missed hearing her cheerful voice, her airy, tinkling laugh, and the endless flow of words that effortlessly tripped off her tongue a-mile-a-minute. And those eyes – those brilliantly blue expressive eyes – he missed the way they held him captive and often rendered him speechless.

On tired legs Luke circled the counter, topped the tables with chairs, twisted the lock, and turned out the lights. He pushed through the curtain and climbed the stairs, taking them one at a time. When he reached the landing, he nearly staggered backwards down the entire flight. He released an audible groan of frustration and slid to the floor, dropping his head in his hands.

_TBC…._


	9. Laugh When Your Dreams Fall Apart

_A/N: Gotta say it again: __**Mags**__ is awesome! And so are all of you! Thank you so much for your continued support! Only one chapter to go after this, and my goal is to have it finished before Christmas. _:)

A sturdy knock at the front door startled Lorelai. She sat up abruptly and lowered the volume on the TV. Another knock brought her to a standing position and she cautiously ventured into the foyer, expecting to see Jason waiting on the other side of the frosted glass. What she found, however, was a handsome man holding a brown paper bag of provisions in one hand and an extra large to-go cup of coffee in the other.

"Got any room for a refugee?" he asked hopefully.

Her smile was instant and impossibly radiant. "You're in luck. We just had a check out."

She quickly snatched the offerings from his hands and gestured for him to follow her inside. He closed the door behind him, his heart rate suddenly picking up now that he had crossed the threshold.

Luke joined her in the living room and sat down next her on the couch. He smiled as she tore into the burger and fries he'd prepared only minutes before coming over. It wasn't the first time he'd fired up the grill for her and her alone.

After wolfing down three quarters of her burger, she finally took a breath. "Hungry," she said through stuffed cheeks.

He chuckled. "You should have stopped by."

"I meant to," Lorelai insisted. "I just … I had some things to take care of."

Luke nodded but didn't press for her to continue.

Placing the remains of her burger in the wrapper on the coffee table, she turned to face him. "So what brings you to my humble abode? Did you and Nicole have a fight?"

"Yeah, a pretty permanent one," he said quietly, unable to meet her eyes.

She cocked her head, concern and curiosity etched in her features. "What happened?"

Luke shrugged. "She gave me an ultimatum, and I made my choice." He finally lifted his eyes to Lorelai's and she nearly forgot how to breathe.

"Your choice," she whispered, swallowing hard. "Uh … so, you're homeless? What about your apartment?"

"Yeah, I don't have one anymore," he grumbled, a fresh wave of anger flooding through his veins. "Nicole had some designer crew completely tear it apart. All the furniture is gone. There's a giant hole in the wall where my bathroom used to be. It's just one ugly mess."

"Oh, Luke." She squeezed his arm sympathetically. His eyes fell to where she touched him and she quickly retracted her hand.

"So, um, where's your stuff?" she asked, springing to her feet and moving toward the door. "You know, we should get you all, uh, settled in. On the couch, I mean. Settled on the couch. Or Rory's room. Whatever. But she might actually prefer if you took the couch. Girls are weird like that."

He turned in his seat to watch her hectic movements and bit back a smile at her incessant rambling. "Outside in the truck," he answered, rising to his full height. "And the couch is fine."

As he strode past her, his musky, masculine scent filled her senses and his strong, muscular frame filled her vision, and Lorelai knew she couldn't hold it in any longer. "Jason is who I was referring to. You know, before. The 'check out.'"

Luke froze to the spot. "What?"

"I mean, he, uh … Yeah, he's gone. Out of the picture. It's pretty permanent too."

"Okay," he managed to reply, gripping the doorframe for support.

"Okay," she repeated, pressing her back to the coat rack and stifling a groan as the hard wooden hooks poked into her spine. They stared at each other, neither fully prepared to make the next move.

But then Luke did make a move. He opened the door and marched outside.

Her eyes widened in shock. Somehow she found the momentum to push herself away from the evil clutches of the coat rack and stuck her head through the doorway. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that he was only retrieving his bags.

"You need some help?" she called to him.

"No, I'm fine."

Lorelai nodded her head. "Okay, good." She closed the door again to ward off the sudden chill of the spring night air that raised goose bumps on her skin.

Leaning against the glass, she pressed a hand to her pounding heart. "It's good that you're fine. It's really good. 'Cause I'm not fine." She took a deep breath, trying to steady her rapid pulse. "I am so not fine."

Luke's head shot up upon hearing the front door close. With twin duffel bags draped over his shoulders he began pacing back and forth, from the foot of the porch steps to the bed of his truck, his heavy boots crunching against the gravel. "I'm not fine," he choked out. "I'm so not fine."

Closing his eyes, he summoned all the courage he had and went for broke. He leapt up the stairs and purposefully gripped the door handle, attempting to push it open. He was met with resistance at first. He frowned, applying more force this time. The door creaked open and a stunned Lorelai stepped away before it took her along for the ride.

Luke walked inside, shut the door, and dropped his bags to his feet. His eyes latched onto hers. "Hi," he breathed.

"Hey," she whispered.

They both took two steps toward each other, and suddenly they were connected – lips, bodies, minds. His long, strong fingers caressed her face, holding her delicately but firmly in place for the assault. Her slender fingers fisted in his flannel as she desperately fought to hang on. Her palms spread over his back, unwilling to let him go. She closed her eyes, surrendering control of her senses, moaning into his mouth.

His lips traced a path down her neck, chasing away the goose bumps and raising new ones in his wake. One hand swept through her hair, relishing the feel of the curls he'd longed to touch for years. The other gripped her shoulder tightly as he struggled to ground himself, afraid he'd push for too much too soon.

She whimpered softly, daring to release one hand from his back so she could urge him up to her mouth. When their lips met this time, their tongues followed suit. Teasing and tasting, the give and take routine they'd perfected with words now being put to the ultimate test. Her back hit the wall just in time before her knees gave out. Her eyes popped open and she raised them to the ceiling as warm, demanding hands covered her breasts.

They pulled apart, gasping for air.

Luke's thumb and forefinger tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "You taste like hamburger," he told her, amusement in his eyes.

She smiled. "You smell like hamburger."

He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. "I was so nervous," he whispered against her knuckles.

"Me too," Lorelai confessed.

"I've wanted to do that for so long."

"Me too," she repeated, and it stunned her how true her words rang.

It stunned Luke too. He kissed her hard, propelling her backward into the house. He veered her toward the couch, but she somehow found the strength to halt his progress.

"Upstairs," Lorelai breathed. "I need to show you something."

Luke didn't bother to hide his frustration at the interruption, which only served to heighten Lorelai's already off-the-charts arousal level.

"C'mon," she coaxed, grinning madly as she dragged him along behind her up the stairs. "Okay, close your eyes," Lorelai instructed once they reached the landing.

He rolled them closed, sighing impatiently while she methodically guided him into her now much narrower bedroom. She stopped at the foot of the bed – though one could argue that such a thing didn't exist with this type of bed – and tugged on his hand, inviting him to open his eyes.

"Oh jeez," he muttered, shaking his head. "When did you get this?"

"This afternoon," Lorelai answered, beaming. "I just had to have one."

"It looks ridiculous. It's taking up three quarters of your room."

She nodded. "Worth every inch." Her gaze boldly lowered to the noticeable bulge in his jeans, and she licked her lips. "I wanna test it out tonight."

"Well, you go right ahead. Like I said, I'll take the couch."

Lorelai smiled at his cluelessness. Stepping closer to him, she began walking her fingers down the buttons of his flannel shirt. "I meant that I want to test it out with you," she whispered throatily into the shell of his ear.

Luke swallowed hard. "Oh."

Wordlessly, she slipped the first button free.

"It's a round bed," he murmured.

"Yes, it is." Another button burst from its shackles.

"I can't … do this on a round bed."

Lorelai smiled as she released buttons three, four, and five. "Oh, you'd be surprised what you can do on a round bed."

He quirked his eyebrows. "Personal experience?"

"Not yet," she shot back teasingly.

Keeping her gaze trained on his, she stripped him of the ubiquitous flannel and carelessly tossed it to the floor. Her hands reached for his belt, and she pulled roughly on it, bringing his body impossibly close to hers while she skilfully removed the smooth leather, feeling it slide against her. It fell to the floor.

His eyes closed when her cool fingers dipped beneath the waistband of his jeans. Ignoring the temptation to move lower, she worked to shed him of his dark grey t-shirt, pushing it slowly up his chest to reveal a tanned, toned torso most women only dreamed of touching.

Once he was bared to the waist, Luke finally sprang into action. He tugged on the zipper of her baby blue hoodie, uncovering a light purple tank top. Brushing the cotton from her shoulders, he placed a hot, wet kiss to her flushed skin. She shivered. Both garments found a home on the floor next to his abandoned clothing.

Her bra was a luscious red satin, the same shade of red that peeked from the waistband of her jeans and poked from beneath the comforter that circled the mattress.

Luke chuckled. "Your underwear matches the sheets?"

She shrugged. "Well, I wanted the first night together to be special."

"Ours?"

"Um, yes." Lorelai smiled. "And mine and Reginald's."

"You named the bed?" he asked in disbelief, though his face showed anything but surprise.

"Reg and I have really bonded since he moved in. I think we're about to get a whole lot friendlier, though," she added, winking at Luke suggestively.

Before he could respond, she pushed him onto the mattress and giggled in triumph at his sprawled body, looking deliciously vulnerable. She slipped out of her jeans, dragging them down with her panties. She flicked open her bra, letting it slide off her arms.

He gaped at her, his eyes widening then darkening with arousal. While she toed off her socks, Luke quickly shed his boots and did the same. Next he tugged open his button fly and stripped himself of his jeans and boxers, whipping them over the edge of the endless mattress. Lorelai fell silently onto the bed and into his arms, and they met in a heated kiss, melding lips, teeth, and tongues.

She only pulled away so she could pluck the blue cap from his head – the last remaining article of clothing. Luke had fallen sideways on the bed, so they were somewhere in the middle of their own little mattress world. Lorelai shamelessly ground against him, her wild movements driving Luke's head right over the side of the bed.

She smirked as he tried to re-orient himself.

"Where the hell am I? Is this the top or the bottom?"

"Uh, I think this is the side," Lorelai said.

"Then where the hell's the top? I need a damn compass to find myself in this bed."

Lorelai reached a hand between them and stroked his shaft. "I've got ya right here, big boy." Luke groaned in a combination of annoyance and arousal. "And the top is probably where the pillows are." She giggled, helping him to get comfortable, this time beneath the sheets.

"Better?" Lorelai murmured against his lips.

"Mmhmm."

She moved fluidly with the red silky sheets, straddling Luke's muscular thighs. He grinned up at her and she nearly lost herself in his smile. "I promised I'd top you," she whispered, staring into his deep blue eyes.

He chuckled. "Yes, you did."

Her body stretched over his. Their hands found each other and clasped beneath the sheets. She stared down at him, smirking as his gaze unabashedly swept over her body. She bent to kiss him. A bubbling laugh burst from Luke's chest and Lorelai pulled back, awaiting an explanation.

"This is so weird," he said, still laughing.

She frowned. "What's weird? Being together?"

Luke shook his head. "No, I mean … being togetherinthis bed. I feel like I'm lying on a giant cookie or something."

This time her laughter filled the room. "A giant cookie?" She collapsed against him, giggling into his neck. "A cookie?" Her body convulsed with laughter. "Are you the creamy filling, or the crispy, chocolate-y cookie crunch?"

"Neither," Luke grumbled, flipping her over and pinning her to the mattress.

"Oooh, now _I'm_ the creamy filling." Lorelai beamed.

"Cucumber," he retorted, kissing her firmly.

Lorelai giggled through the kiss and mumbled, "Pizza," against his lips.

"Zucchini."

"Donut."

He rolled his eyes in amusement. "Crazy lady." Ducking his head, he trailed soft kisses along her jaw and down the smooth column of her neck, his tongue tickling the hollow of her throat.

Her breathing became shallow as she watched his every move, mesmerized by the way her body responded to his touch. His stubble scraped against her skin. His head dipped lower. His chin nudged the top of her right breast and she sighed.

Fuelled by her reaction, Luke rasped his cheek along the sensitive flesh, stopping when his mouth met the edge of her nipple. Closing his eyes, he latched onto the hardened tip, laving it with his tongue. "Mmm, cantaloupe," he murmured.

"Oh god." Lorelai moaned. "Yes, you can. Just elope with the right girl this time." She cradled his head, arching her back to aid in his assault.

Lips, teeth, and tongue tugged relentlessly on the tender peak, and Lorelai was on the brink of exploding.

He could feel her racing heart when he switched sides, granting her other breast the same attention. Realizing the woman beneath him was a ticking time bomb, he kept his ministrations brief.

Luke leaned back and she cried in protest. His hot breath gliding lower down her body quickly defused her dissent. Warm, strong hands traced her flawless shape, meeting in the middle at her groin. Long, nimble fingers tangled in the coarse hair at the apex of her legs, turning those legs to jelly.

"Brussels sprouts," Luke whispered, his lips curving against the inside of her thigh.

She grinned, lifting her head slightly to stare down at him and nearly swallowing her tongue at the sight. "Potato chips."

He pressed his nose against her mound and inhaled the scent of her arousal. "Muskmelon," he said, raising his head to meet her stare, a look of pure delight on his face.

The giggling was back. When his tongue touched the tip of her clit, her laughter faded into a delicious sigh. "Oh, Luuuuuke … Danish."

His hands slipped behind her hips and gripped the supple globes of her bottom, bringing her closer to his awaiting mouth. He stroked her feverishly, driving her wild with every tantalizing, punishing glance.

"Jesus!" Lorelai gasped, her hips thrusting in time with his touch. "Cream puff!"

Her thighs trembled, her calves flexed, her heels dug into the mattress, and with a low, pleasure-soaked moan she lost herself.

Luke continued to stroke her, slowly bringing her down from the highest high. He licked his lips and gazed up at her from beneath his lashes, smiling proudly. "Happy?"

"Waffles," she answered, pulling on his shoulders and sighing in satisfaction as his hard, lean body stretched out overtop of hers again. "Waffle is happy. So happy."

_TBC…._


	10. Then Here Is The Best Part

_A/N: Well, this is finally it, my friends! The concluding chapter. I'm feeling a jumble of emotions. I'm thrilled that it's completed, but I'll miss it terribly. This story has been a fairytale I've been living vicariously through just as much as the rest of you, I'm sure. There are two fabulous people I must thank before I go on. First, __**DFC**__, thank you for the inspiration behind this chapter – at least the beginning of it! You are tramp-tastic, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. ;) And second, most importantly, thank you, __**Mags**__! You're my coach, my mentor, and my greatest cheerleader. To put it simply: you make me a better writer. None of this would have been possible without you and your constant encouragement and motivation. You're the best thing that ever happened to Team Jewels. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all that you do! _

_Okay, I think I'm done. Enjoy!_

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The perfectly pedicured grass tickled their toes as they tiptoed barefoot across the yard.

"Lorelai, this is crazy!" Luke whispered harshly.

"Shhhh!" she hissed.

He rolled his eyes. "I still don't know why we couldn't wear shoes."

"They only get in the way," Lorelai argued. "Besides, it's quieter without them."

She stopped dragging him by the sleeve once their target was in view. "There she is. Good ol' Tabitha."

Luke stared at the trampoline for a good minute, and despite his best efforts, he couldn't make it disappear. "This is crazy," he repeated for the thirtieth time that night.

Lorelai smiled, urging him forward with a soft, suggestive pat to his rear end. "Well, I know how crazy you are about round surfaces. You were totally gung-ho for this idea back at my place."

"That's because you were naked, and I was, uh, disoriented."

She giggled. "C'mon, this is gonna be fun." Lorelai began stripping her t-shirt over her head and gazed at him challengingly, letting it fall to the ground.

"This is your parents' house," Luke implored, watching helplessly as she climbed to the top of his worst nightmare. She was bare from the waist up, and with a teasing glint in her eyes she took a tame jump. Luke's eyes were glued to her breasts as they bobbed up and down.

Sighing in defeat, he climbed up the steps and joined her on the pliable surface, trying his hardest to ignore the dazzling smile she favoured him.

"Shirt. Off," Lorelai instructed. She slowly slid her pajama bottoms and panties down her thighs.

Luke swallowed hard, his gaze locked on her as she lay back on the trampoline. He pulled off his shirt and started unbuckling his belt, all before his brain registered what he was doing.

She rose to her knees and helped him finish the job, keeping her eyes trained on his face the entire time. His belt flew through the air and looped over a nearby tree branch. Luke groaned but Lorelai chuckled. She lowered his jeans and boxers to his ankles, hindering him from movement, and with a playful tug she pulled him downward. He fell ungracefully to the surface, growling in disapproval at her antics.

"Oooh, springy!" she commented, giggling.

Luke sat up and discarded his jeans and boxers, neatly draping them over the edge, earning him another giggle from Lorelai.

She grabbed him by the hips and pulled him to her, eager to get the show on the road. "This is gonna be soooo fun," she murmured, kissing his frowning mouth. "Smile, my little cream puff."

"Rice cake," he shot back, his scowl morphing into a smirk.

Lorelai kissed him again, pouring all of her excitement, elation, and energy into it, moaning against his lips as he gave it all back to her just as enthusiastically. A jolt of pleasure raced through her at her ability to make him fold. Nothing pleased her more than when this man was pleasing her without a care in the world.

His hands molded to her body, caressing every curve, absorbing every thunderous beat of her heart. He kissed every dip and every hollow. He licked his way from her chin to her belly button, teasing her with every stroke of his tongue. He crawled back up to stare into her eyes, his lower half poised at her entrance. She writhed beneath him.

Luke waited for her to meet his eyes. When she did, he shook his head, unable to hide his boyish smile. "I can't believe we're doing this."

"I can," Lorelai whispered. She wrapped her legs around him and sighed in both ecstasy and relief as he slipped into her wet heat.

"Godddd," she hissed.

"Mmhmmm," Luke agreed, burying his head in her neck.

She gripped his back and hung on for dear life. "God, I hope my parents haven't used it for this purpose."

Luke's head shot up. "Lorelai!"

"Welllll, my dad did seem pretty keen to jump on the thing. In his sock suspenders, I might add."

He groaned. "Okay, I'm done."

Lorelai gripped his arms before he pulled away from her. "No, don't go!" she pleaded. "I'm sorry. I'll be good." She smoothed her palm down his cheek, coaxing his face closer to hers.

"It's cold," Luke grumbled against her lips.

She smiled, knowing that she'd reeled him back in and victory was hers. "Then let's heat things up, baby." With that, she rocked her hips, urging him into action.

His lips clung to hers as he set the pace, completely losing himself in the feeling of her body yielding to his. Luke's hands roamed freely, setting every fiber of her being aflame.

The weight of him pressing into her was exquisite, but the heat of his mouth and the teasing glances of his tongue made her tremble with need. "Luke," she whispered, tearing her mouth from his. "I'm so close."

He squeezed his eyes shut and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank god." When he opened them again, they were trapped in a hold more intimate than their connected bodies.

One last stroke brought her to the edge and pushed her blissfully beyond it. Luke soon followed, and together they rode out the waves of pleasure made more intense by the surface beneath them.

"Wow," Lorelai breathed. "I so need to get me one of these."

"Probably a good idea, 'cause I'm definitely not coming here again." He caught himself before she could respond. "Don't say it."

"So dirty!" She cupped his cheek and said softly, "I think we should only have sex on round things from now on."

Luke rolled his eyes. "You have fun with that."

"No, _you_ have fun with that," she shot back teasingly. "I know you do."

He shook his head, but the crooked smile on his face gave him away long before the gesture.

They fell into another heated kiss. A loud _bang_ quickly stole their attention.

"What the hell was that?" Luke whispered, a look of horror on his face as he rolled away in search of his clothing.

She shrugged, watching the scrambling naked man in amusement. "Dunno. Could be Richard and Emily coming out for a midnight romp."

He turned back to her abruptly causing her loose and limber body to bounce easily. "Is that supposed to be funny?" he said, panic still evident in his expression.

Lorelai smirked, holding up her hands. "Hey, I don't know what these two kids do after dark."

"Well, I'm not waiting around to find out." He tugged his t-shirt over his head and struggled to pull on his boxers at a record pace.

"Need me to help you with that?"

"I'm fine," he grunted, instead tossing her pyjama bottoms and panties at her. "Hurry up and get dressed."

"Yes, sir!" Lorelai said with a salute, not at all disappointed that the show was over. In her wildest dreams, she never would have believed that she'd get this far with him. It made her flush with pleasure just thinking about their future together as a couple. Luke was so full of surprises, and she planned on exposing each and every one of them.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Ow, ow, ow!" Luke complained. The loose gravel on Lorelai's driveway dug into his bare feet, deepening the scowl on his face.

"Such a baby," she playfully admonished, taking his hand in hers as they reached the steps. They climbed each one together and paused at the door. Lorelai brought her hand to his cheek and rose up on her tiptoes. Lips met in a heated caress marking the end of their midnight escapade. Both were too caught up in the kiss to notice the bright flash of light that lit up the night behind them.

"Let's go to bed," Lorelai whispered to him when they finally broke apart.

Hands still clasped, they crossed the threshold and closed the door behind them.

"Finally!" a familiar voice rejoiced victoriously. Kirk wrestled his bike free from the same bush he hid behind and hopped on, racing off at the highest clip the ten-speed would allow. He passed by that beat-up, signature green truck – the very thing that gave away the newfound lovers.

Kirk had camped out all night upon the discovery. Unfortunately, he'd slept through their initial departure, but he was primed and in place upon their return. He prayed the one and only picture he snapped would turn out because it was going to be the cover of the next morning's paper. Kirk puffed out a breath and released another shout of victory as he headed for the printing press.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The shrill ring of Lorelai's bedside telephone rudely wrenched them from a deep sleep.

"Ugh," Lorelai groaned, burying her head under her pillow to block out the sound and the stream of sunlight pouring into her room.

"Answer it," Luke murmured, still half asleep.

She groaned again. "You're closer."

Two more unanswered rings spurred Luke into action. He leaned over and grabbed the receiver. "Yeah?" he grunted.

Lorelai giggled beneath her pillow.

"Hello?" Luke barked. "You got somethin' to say, then say it!"

"Remind me to work on those phone skills of yours," Lorelai remarked.

Luke sat up abruptly. His eyes widened and his face paled. He jerked the phone away from his ear and tossed it onto the bed, like it was scorching his hand.

His sudden silence inspired Lorelai to emerge from her pillow. She sat up next to him and took in his troubled expression. "What's going on?"

He ran a hand over his stubbled cheek. "That was Nicole." Lorelai's eyes widened. "She told me to get a good lawyer, then she hung up."

"How did she … What did she…." Lorelai trailed off and watched in alarm as Luke pulled himself from the bed and began a frantic search for his clothing. "Luke," she implored. "We can fix this. I can … Here, I'll call my dad." She hunted for the phone, feeling between the folds and creases of the billowy comforter.

"I just … I need to figure some things out," Luke told her as he zipped up the fly of his jeans. "I can't think right now. I can't be here when this is all…."

Lorelai blinked hard, trying to will herself not to cry. "Luke," she whispered, "you don't regret what–"

"No! No, of course not," he insisted, crouching down next to her and kissing her soundly on the lips. "I don't regret one second of time I've spent with you."

She swallowed her tears and finally revealed a soft smile. "Me either." She cupped his cheek with a trembling palm. "Call me later?"

"I'll call you," Luke promised, brushing one last kiss against her lips.

His boot-clad feet pounded heavily down the staircase. Long, purposeful strides carried him to the front door. A deep, vigorous breath gave him the strength to open it. Before he took another step, he was met with a folded newspaper. He stooped to pick it up and stumbled backward into the house. The headline read: **"Lotto Love"** and below it was a picture of Luke and Lorelai locked in an intimate embrace outside her house.

"Oh god," Luke choked out. When he could find his voice, he called desperately for Lorelai.

Mere seconds later she came barrelling barefoot down the staircase in her robe. "Did you change your mind?" she asked him, her hopeful blue eyes latching onto his.

Instead of answering, Luke thrust the paper toward her. Lorelai's hand flew to her heart. "Who took this?"

"The same nutjob who's been taking all the pictures, I'm sure. I'm going to kill him."

"Luke, this can't get out."

He sighed. "I think it's too late for that."

Lorelai brushed past him and closed the door. Grabbing him gently by the shoulders, she coaxed him further into the house and directed him onto the couch. She took a seat next to him and chewed her lip thoughtfully. "Okay, here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna hide out here for a while. I somehow don't think it's safe to go outside." Luke nodded at that. "You're gonna call Caesar and make sure he's good to hold down the fort. And I'm gonna give my dad a call, and I know he'll set you up with his best lawyer. Okay?"

"Okay," Luke agreed.

"Okay."

They both sunk further into the cushions and found peace in the silence that enveloped them. After a beat, Lorelai asked him, "What are your thoughts on hiding under the covers with me?"

A tiny smile creased the corners of his mouth. "I think that's the best idea yet."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

A week later, with Richard's pricey lawyer at his side, Luke entered a penthouse office overlooking the busy streets of New York City. Floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped around the entire exterior wall. A long mahogany table polished to gleaming perfection spanned nearly the full length of the room, and rich, buttery leather chairs encircled it.

Luke cautiously pulled out a chair and took a seat, drumming his fingers nervously on the glossy, almost see-through surface of the table.

Walter Herschfeld sat next to him, placing a strong hand atop Luke's to still his busy fingers. "Don't appear nervous. You might give them a reason to feel they actually have a leg to stand on," he bellowed in a deep register, revealing a hint of a smile.

When Richard Gilmore had called in a favour, Walter had been in the midst of a pile of paperwork, preparing for a huge case. Once Morgan Brigley, the opposing counsel's name was mentioned, Walter dropped everything and jumped at the chance. The two had been rivals for years.

Double mahogany doors opened wide and in stepped Brigley himself. "Walter," he acknowledged pleasantly.

"Morgan," Mr. Herschfeld returned cordially.

Luke felt sick to his stomach. "Could I get some water?"

"Certainly," Morgan said. He poured a tall glass of ice water from the pitcher resting in the centre of the table. Not even a drop was spilled in the process. He slid the glass to Luke and gestured for his hand in the process, shaking it firmly. "Morgan Brigley."

"Uh, Luke. Danes. Luke Danes," he stammered. "Where's Nicole?"

"Ms. Leahy just stepped out."

As if on cue, Nicole entered the room wearing a tight-fitting blazer emphasizing certain assets that had been noticeably absent a mere week ago.

"Whoa." Luke openly stared in complete astonishment. "I'm glad to see you've been spending our money on important things," he muttered, awkwardly motioning toward her chest.

Nicole rolled her eyes and slid into the chair next to Morgan. Luke could actually hear the leather grunting under the added weight of silicone.

Mr. Brigley folded his hands atop the table and glanced at both men. "Well, no sense prolonging this. Gentleman, it is our contention that there be an equal division of the lottery monies."

Walter's jaw dropped. "That is completely unacceptable!"

Luke raised his hand to prevent any further argument. "It's all right," he said. "She can have half."

This time Walter gawked at Luke. He was obviously ready to do battle, and Luke's easy surrender was tearing away the foundation of his case. "Let me do the talking here," he whispered harshly to Luke.

"She can have half," Luke said again, loud enough for all parties present to hear. "Period. I don't want to discuss it."

Walter shook his head and sighed in defeat. "We concede the point."

"That's a very mature attitude," Brigley commented. "It'll certainly help speed things right along."

"Now, there's the matter of their pre-lottery holdings." Walter flipped through the papers carefully labelled in his stark black portfolio. We have a bank account here totalling just over sixty-three thousand dollars, as well as some investments. I insist that we split this 50/50."

Nicole smirked, as if the measly amount meant nothing to her.

"If we're all in agreement, the only thing left to discuss is the shared townhouse, and the furnishings, of course–"

"That's not quite accurate, Walter. We are also attaching the monies donated by Mr. Danes to Ms. Gilmore."

"What!" Luke gasped. "No!"

"That is way out of line, Morgan!" Walter added, infuriated by the low blow.

"No!" Luke said again, pounding his fist against the table, feeling like the air was being sucked from his lungs.

"Mr. Danes volunteered this joint money without Ms. Leahy's consent or previous knowledge."

Luke's eyes, filled with desperation, shot to Nicole's. "Don't do this, Nicole. Please." he implored. "Think about what you're doing."

"We have every reason to believe that he and Ms. Gilmore have had a long-standing relationship that he has deliberately deceived his wife about," Morgan continued.

Luke emphatically shook his head. "That's not true!"

Morgan revealed a large manila envelope and placed it on the table in front of him. "And toward that end, we have drafted this letter to Ms. Gilmore–"

"C'mon!" Luke sprang from his chair.

"–Demanding that she return the money immediately and in full or face substantial penalties and punitive damages."

"I don't believe this!"

Luke wished he was wearing his heavy work boots. The newly purchased dress shoes that whispered against the floor as he barrelled around the table were nowhere near as intimidating. Still, the action put Nicole on high alert.

"Luke," Walter said in a warning tone. "Stay on this side of the table. The only side with a conscience," he added under his breath.

Luke paused mid-stride, his chest heaving. The last thing in the world he wanted to do was ruin any hope he had of reversing this. He closed his eyes, blocking out the sights, sounds, and smells of the stuffy office and the walls that were quickly closing in on him. But all he could see was Lorelai's face, all he could hear was the sound of her airy laugh, and all he could smell was the rich, creamy scent of her skin. Nothing else mattered but her.

Blowing out a breath, he lurched forward and grabbed Nicole by the arm. "Why are you doing this? Why! Just to get even with Lorelai? She didn't do anything to you!"

"Luke!" Walter called from the opposite side of the table.

Morgan began to rise from his chair, but Nicole waved him off. "I'm so sick of all this screaming! Our whole marriage was like this."

"It was not like this!" Luke argued, gripping her arm tighter, unable to control his emotions and in too deep to back down.

"I'm getting tired of this physical abuse from you!" She tugged her arm from Luke and rubbed at it dramatically. Nicole turned to her lawyer. "Did you see that?"

Morgan nodded and stood. "Well, I think we're about finished here, gentleman," he said curtly, pulling out Nicole's chair and assisting her to her feet as well. "Good luck, Walter. You're gonna need it," were his parting words as he escorted Nicole out of the office.

Luke crumbled under the weight of his anger and disappointment and collapsed onto the table, burying his head in his hands. "How am I gonna explain this to Lorelai?" he rasped. "I mean, how am I gonna tell her?"

Walter rounded the table and patted the broken man's shoulders. "Luke, look, you're not going to like this, but you're going have to stop seeing her for a while."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

An hour later Luke stood on the porch outside Lorelai's house - the last place on earth he should be, but the only place he wanted to be. If he had to stop seeing her for a while, he needed to be the one to tell her why.

His clenched fist rapped firmly against the door. He held his breath when he heard her footsteps echoing down the staircase.

The moment she opened the door, Luke pulled her into his arms, wrapping her in his protective embrace. She wore a pair of faded baby blue cotton pyjama shorts and a matching t-shirt. She shivered in his arms, lifting her bare feet on top of his worn work boots and melting into the heat of his body.

"Come inside," Lorelai whispered. "Tell me what happened."

Luke squeezed his eyes shut, dreading to utter the words he'd been rehearsing the entire drive back from New York City.

She took his hand in hers and led him into the house. He remained stoically silent as she closed the door and gently removed his jacket from his shoulders. He watched her smooth the lapels of his blazer and ached to kiss the lips she pursed in concentration of her task.

Taking a step back, she looked fearfully into his eyes. "It's not good news, is it?"

He shook his head, attempting to swallow the lump that had permanently lodged in his throat. "Lorelai, I just want you to know that I won't less this happen. I'll fight her. I will fight her with everything I have."

"Let what happen?" she asked quietly, dreading his answer.

"She wants the money I invested in the Dragonfly. The money I invested in you."

Lorelai's face fell.

"It's not gonna happen," Luke insisted, gripping her shoulders tightly until she met his eyes again. "I won't let it."

"I can't believe she would … What about your money?" Lorelai quickly changed tracks, focusing her concern on Luke.

"She gets half."

Her eyes widened. "What? Luke, no! I gave that to you! She's the last person on earth I'd ever–"

"Lorelai, we were married when you gave that money to me … We still are, technically." He blew out a shaky breath, trying to find the courage to continue. "She's accusing me of adultery."

"Adultery…." Lorelai's heart sank to the floor. "Oh, Luke."

He took both of her hands in his. "I may not be able to see you for a while. At least until this all gets fixed."

Her eyes filled with panic. "When will that be?"

They both jumped when a series of knocks sounded from the door. Eyes darted around the room as suspicion and paranoia took flight. Lorelai started cautiously for the door with Luke right on her heels. "Don't you think you should…." she trailed off, gesturing for him to take cover.

"I'll take my chances," he said gruffly. "As long as I'm here, I'm not letting you out of my sight."

Lorelai found some relief in his words, but still her stomach roiled with uncertainty. Peering through the frosted glass she could make out the silhouette of a tall, thin man. She slowly opened the door and sighed as Kirk stood before them in a polished pin-striped suit that was three inches too short.

"Lorelai," Kirk said in greeting. "Luke," he added once he noticed the fuming man who hovered closely behind her. "I didn't know you'd be here."

"The hell you didn't," Luke snapped. "You've been tracking our every move from day one!"

Kirk shrugged unapologetically. "Hot news stories sell, Luke. This is the most profitable month in the Stars Hollow Gazette's history."

"I can tell you something else that's gonna be history..." he threatened, trying to manoeuvre around Lorelai in effort to strangle Kirk.

Lorelai held strong in her role as buffer. "Kirk," she said pointedly, signalling for him to get a move on.

"Oh, right." Kirk reached into his satchel and removed a manila envelope eerily similar to the one Luke had seen earlier that day. He passed it to Lorelai and waited for her to open it.

"A subpoena?" she whispered, turning to Luke in shock.

His jaw clenched; his blood pounded in his veins and his eyes flew to Kirk's. "Why are _you _delivering this?"

Kirk held his head high. "I've been deputized," he stated proudly.

Luke groaned. "God help us all."

"I'm going to need your signature, Lorelai," Kirk spoke authoritatively. He pulled out an electronic keypad and beamed at them, oblivious. "We've gone high-tech now."

Lorelai shook her head and reached for the stylus. After three failed attempts for her signature to register, Kirk sighed. "How about I sign your hand?"

"That won't be necessary," Kirk insisted. "Just don't go leaving town."

"Yeah, Kirk'll chase you down on his ten-speed," Luke warned her mockingly.

The frail man glared at Luke. "I have something for you too, but I'm going to hang onto it for a few minutes."

He raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"I'll be back," Kirk assured them, turning to leave. "Ten minutes, tops."

Luke and Lorelai poked their heads through the doorway and watched in amazement as he hopped onto his bike and sped away.

"This is the man they trust with important legal documents," Luke muttered, shaking his head.

Lorelai giggled. "I wonder where he tore off to."

"Hopefully a tailor."

"Or Taylor, to warn him."

"Warn him?"

She giggled again. "To be ready for the flood of biblical proportions."

They heard Kirk before they saw him, a mere eight minutes later, the sound of his bell dinging loudly as the gravel crunched beneath rubber tires.

"What did he do, circle the block?" Luke asked, perplexed.

Kirk stashed his bike at the bottom of the steps then climbed them, huffing and puffing all the way. "Here." He wheezed, reaching a thick manila envelope to Luke.

Luke frowned. "What the hell is this?"

"Your divorce papers," Kirk supplied, hunching over.

Luke's knees nearly buckled under the weight. A failed marriage was a burden he thought he'd never carry. Now it weighed heavily in his hands.

Lorelai noticed Luke's grim expression and pressed a gentle hand to his back. "Why didn't you drop these off before, Kirk?" she asked, trying to fill the heavy silence.

"I make two stops, I collect two process fees. It's smart business."

"It's nuts in the head," Luke growled. "Get him out of here," he told Lorelai as he trudged toward the couch.

Lorelai smiled weakly at Kirk. "So, what other top secret documents you got in there?" she asked, attempting to peek into his satchel.

Kirk yanked it away and eyed her suspiciously. "I can't say, but it's possible that one of them has East Side Tilly's name on it."

Her mouth dropped open dramatically, but Kirk was out the door before she could say another word. She closed it behind him. The shocked look on her face soon turned to one of sympathy when she took in Luke's slumped form.

Lorelai crossed her arms and pressed them to her stomach, feeling the cold all over again. Once she was near enough to Luke, she gathered the papers from his outstretched hands and set them on the coffee table. She sat next to him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Please don't leave," she whispered.

"I can't stay."

Lorelai blinked hard, resigning herself to this new, painful reality. "I'm so sorry this is happening."

Luke wrapped a strong, protective arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "This isn't gonna change anything between you and I, Lorelai. I want you to know that."

She nodded half-heartedly. "I guess I'll see you when I see you."

"It won't be long," he promised, kissing her temple. He traced a thumb down her cheek and stood.

His boots were like anchors as he dragged himself away from the one woman and the one place that felt like home. She didn't look back, and he knew she wouldn't. Somehow that made things easier for both of them. He slipped through the door and into the crushing darkness of a world without Lorelai.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The trial began several days later. They were the longest days of Luke's life. When he first met Lorelai, he somehow knew that she'd become a frequent patron of his business – it was just his luck. But as the years went on, and they became closer as friends and confidants, he remembered more the days she didn't cross his threshold and brighten up his monotonous existence. He could count on his hand the number of times in the year such an event occurred. Those were the hardest days to get through, but he survived on the certainty that she'd appear at his doorstep, as bubbly and beautiful as ever, the next morning.

On the second and final day of the trial, Lorelai was summoned to the stand. It was the first they'd seen each other since he'd left her house.

Morgan Brigley stopped at nothing, driving her to tears again with his bitter words and harsh accusations. She didn't bat an eyelash when he claimed that the money donated to her by Luke was done so unjustly, but she bristled considerably when he charged her with using her relationship with Luke to manipulate him into doing so. Her fists clenched as he spat out the words 'adulterous', 'illicit', and 'immoral', and her eyes shot to Luke when Morgan added 'criminal' to the list.

Lorelai finally found her voice after the man alleged that her only purpose behind this entire grandiose show of generosity was to destroy a marriage and sink her claws into the one man she couldn't have.

"That's not true!" Lorelai cried. "I made a promise and I followed through on that promise. That's what good people do!"

"Oh, I see. And what else do 'good people' do, Ms. Gilmore?" Morgan shot back. "Indulge in adulterous affairs?"

"I've never had an affair!"

Morgan smiled. "Mr. Danes is a married man. Do you deny you have an intimate relationship with him?"

Lorelai swallowed hard as she felt every ounce of colour drain from her face. "Luke is a kind and decent man, and he deserves every cent of the money I gave to him. I've only ever wanted him to be happy."

Morgan nodded, encouraging her to continue. "And why is that, Ms. Gilmore?"

Her heart was racing. She couldn't stop now, not when every emotion inside of her was screaming for her to continue. Not when every pair of eyes in the courtroom were on her, except for the only pair that truly mattered. "I love him."

Luke's head shot up and his eyes immediately sought hers – a silent connection, but one so powerful it gave her the strength to continue. "I'm _in_ love with him."

Those potent words stirred the courtroom into an uproar. Luke's pulse pounded in his ears, drowning out the commotion that surrounded him. Lorelai's freshly uttered confession was on loop inside her head, serving to override her fleeting confidence with worry, doubt, and uncertainty. There were so many questions, but one question led them all: _What if he doesn't feel the same way?_

Nicole's smug smirk cut through the buzzing air like a knife. "I knew it," she hissed. "I knew it all along." She turned to Morgan and he all but assured her a victory by the slight nod and subtle wink he favoured her with.

Once order was restored, the judge disappeared for a brief recess in effort to formulate his final verdict. Lorelai returned to her seat in the gallery, her eyes glued to Luke's broad shoulders.

Luke blinked hard, resisting the temptation to turn around. There was no doubt in his mind that he was in love with her too, but he couldn't admit that until he knew for sure that he could protect her from all this.

Fifteen minutes felt like a lifetime. Silence fell over the courtroom as the judge at last reclaimed his seat. "After hearing all sides, I have reached a verdict," he declared.

Lorelai closed her eyes. Luke's hands gripped the edge of the table. They both held their breath.

"I rule in favour of the plaintiff, Ms. Nicole Leahy, on all counts."

A series of shocked gasps circled the room, but none were louder than Lorelai's. Her jaw dropped. Her eyes widened, filling with tears that she beat back with a rapid flutter of her eyelashes. The hands that Luke had wrapped around the table curled into tight fists.

"The funds in question will be granted to her, as will an award for punitive damages in the resulting emotional distress. My ruling is final. Case dismissed!" He banged his gavel, drawing the session to an official close.

The tears spilled over. Lorelai wiped frantically at her cheeks and rose on unsteady legs, bolting out of the courtroom as fast as she could, needing to get as far away from everything and everyone as possible.

"Lorelai! Wait!" Luke shouted, fighting through the throngs of people to get to her. He couldn't stop her. He couldn't get to her quickly enough. She hailed a cab and was out of sight before he'd made it halfway down the courthouse steps. "Goddamn it!" he cried, leaning his hands on his knees. He collapsed onto the concrete steps and waited for the world to swallow him whole.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

She wouldn't return his calls. He left countless unanswered messages. A dozen knocks on her door went unheeded. Luke stayed with Liz and TJ until he could make sense of his apartment. After all was said and done, he was down to a fraction of the money he started with – the majority of it buried in lawyer fees and reparations. But he didn't care. It wasn't about the money for him. It never had been.

Luke had already endured a significant length of time without Lorelai before the trial. He wasn't about to do it again. If she wouldn't open the door for him, he'd barge through the damn thing. Armed with a peace offering and his wounded pride, he headed for her house.

It was after dusk. He'd put in a twelve hour shift at the diner, minus the time and trip it took to put together the item he now held in a paper package tucked safely under his arm. He walked with purpose up the porch steps and paused in front of her door. Taking a deep breath, he knocked. One, twice, three times.

He released a grunt of frustration. "Lorelai! I'll stay out here all night if I have to! I'm not gonna let you avoid me anymore!"

Another minute passed. With his hand pressed to the frosted glass, his voice cracked. "Please let me in. If you really meant what you said in the courtroom, you have to let me in."

A clatter sounded from inside followed by an expletive. Seconds later the door creaked open, just a sliver. "Why are you doing this?" she breathed through the narrow space. "I ruined everything for you."

"You're wrong. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," he told her, forcing his way into the house.

Lorelai backed up, briefly forgetting the strength and fierce determination of this man. "You lost your marriage, you lost your money … None of that would have happened if it wasn't for me," she told him, still backing away.

"I don't care about the money!" Luke shouted, throwing his arms to the side. He stopped moving and took a bracing breath, locking eyes with her. "It means nothing to me."

Her eyes lowered to the package in his outstretched hand. "What's that?" she whispered.

Luke followed her field of vision, having completely forgotten what he carried. "Oh. It's just … something I wanted you to have." He walked further into the house and sat on the couch, waiting for her to join him.

A cushion of space separated them as he extended the package to her. "I never cared about Nicole the way I've always cared about you," he admitted softly, his eyes trained on her profile.

Her breath hitched; her trembling fingers unfolded the wrinkled paper bag.

"And I didn't lose a marriage. I finally found a chance at being … happy."

"Luke," she whispered, turning to face him.

He smiled and nodded to the package, acutely aware of the curious creature sitting before him. Somehow he knew he wouldn't need to say anything more once the contents were revealed.

She felt the smooth edge of a wooden frame and carefully removed it. Her eyes widened in recognition. It was a picture of Luke and Lorelai on the pitcher's mound at Yankee Stadium surrounded by the kids from the shelter. They all looked so happy, so oblivious to the world that surrounded them, blissfully ensconced in their own little fairytale. It took her a moment to realize there was an inscription below. The words read: 'Fairytales can come true'.

Luke waited anxiously for her to say something. When a single tear fell down her cheek, he frowned, worried he'd somehow upset her. "Lorelai, I…."

"Shhhh," she told him softly, covering his parted lips with her hand. He kissed her fingers on instinct, and she smiled. "Being there with you, with the kids … It was one of the best days of my life."

Her hand moved from his mouth to his stubbled cheek, and he leaned into her caress. "Mine too," he whispered. "We can do it again. We can do it every day, if you want to."

Lorelai raised her eyebrows suggestively. "How about we do it right now?"

He groaned and shook his head.

She smiled, a rush of warmth flooding her body. "I don't care what we do, as long as I'm with you." Another stubborn tear slipped from her eye as she kissed him, pouring everything she had into it. "You're my fairytale," she breathed against his lips.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Stars Hollow isn't just a town; it's a feeling. It's a state of being. It brings out the very best in the people that live there.

Lady luck paid Lorelai a visit, just as the walls were beginning to close in on the hopeful inn owner. A woman of her word, she gave Luke exactly half her winnings and together they watched as a world of possibilities opened up to them. Through every act of kindness, they grew closer as friends, partners, and firm, faithful believers in one another. Neither could deny the spark that always existed between them, but that spark quickly became a flame when their time spent together far outweighed their time spent apart.

They fell in love, coaxed by the carefree caress of the almighty dollar, affixed in the knowledge that this kind of love was a love that money couldn't buy.

There were barriers, of course. There are always obstacles in the path of true love.

Jason smartly cut his losses, set his sights on a woman in the apartment complex next to his, and got himself a genuine, bonafide round mattress, determined to finally make room for someone else – in his bed and in his life.

And Nicole … Well, she moved on too, reconnecting with Preston from the Millionaires Cruise. They were last seen in New York City, just about to board a horse-drawn buggy when the sharp blast of a taxi cab's horn (presumably Martin, Mr. 'Cash Cab' himself) startled the horses. The resulting kerfuffle found Nicole brutally trampled by the quadrupeds. While she recuperated from multiple broken bones, including a cracked coccyx, Preston made off with her money and booked the next flight to Tahiti.

For our favourite couple, things finally fell into place. There was buzz about an engagement, and Kirk had already composed the perfect future headline for the Gazette: **"Diner Proprietor Weds Inn Owner"**.

Even in their darkest hours, they never lost hope. That, truly, is the greatest lesson of all. Because one day….

…It could happen to you!

_The End :)_

_Thank you all so much for reading and joining me in this adventure!_


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